Chicks of Destiny
by Chicks of Destiny Archive
Summary: What happens to the orphaned eggs that the Order DOESN'T find? With one question, an adventure begins...This collaborative effort, written by a team of talented authors, is without a doubt the finest piece of literature every inspired by Order of the Griffin. Chicks of Destiny's exciting narrative, at times both hopeful and heartrending, will delight all fans of the original game.
1. Preface

**Preface**

What is Chicks of Destiny?

In 2014, a simple writing game was started on the discussion forums of the genetics-based fantasy game Order of the Griffin. Based on the established lore of Order of the Griffin, the game Chicks of Destiny invited many talented authors to create their own griffin characters and work together to write a story.

Thanks to the efforts of a team of prolific writers, the Chicks of Destiny thread soon became the longest of its sort on the entire website. Its story ended up much longer and deeper than anyone expected, transcending its humble beginnings as a simple writing exercise and becoming a lovely tale in its own right. Years passed, and the story kept progressing, sometimes in quick bursts of inspiration and sometimes at an constant, agonizingly slow rate, with plenty of hiatuses along the way. The plot crawled along, eventually developing into a novel-length masterpiece of OotG.

This sprawling narrative is rich with character, emotion, excitement, and adventure. Most of all, it is full of heart. Chicks of Destiny should stand as a testament to teamwork; it is the result of a collaboration between authors that required input and cooperation from everyone.

Who would have thought that a simple story about baby griffins could become so complicated?!

Unfortunately, the project has suffered a great many bumps in the road. The biggest of these hurdles occurred when the official Order of the Griffin website crashed last year. Not only was a wonderful, educational game lost, but the forum where Chicks of Destiny began was gone. The Chicks of Destiny team was able to reassemble and create a new site dedicated to their writing. All of the original text was saved by the determined authors, and is now here, on FanFiction, for your enjoyment!

The archive you are now reading is not the complete story. Chicks of Destiny continues to this day, still powered by the powerful creative spirit that its authors share. Updates will continue until the tale is complete.

Great difficulties have been endured to bring this to you. Chicks of Destiny is a beautiful, confusing, creative work of art. It is both an original storyline and fan-made celebration of the Order of the Griffin game that brought its authors together. Should you choose to read forward after this prelude, you will embark upon a long journey with a cast of colorful characters. I hope your trip if worthwhile!

I present you with the magnum opus of the humble Order of the Griffin fan community: Chicks of Destiny.


	2. Credits

Chicks of Destiny would have never happened without the hard work of these talented people. A sincere thank you goes out to everyone to helped!

* * *

 **Authorship Credits**

orpingtonhen

SilverSamurai026

Maraitha

sodapopqueen

maveric

Nyroc

audrei9

Pegasus

Basilisk

ZNyxZ

* * *

 **Original concept by**

orpingtonhen

* * *

 **Based on the game created by**

Jenosavel


	3. Character Reference Page

Chicks of Destiny is a story with many different characters, each with his or her own private development and conflicts. To help the reader keep everyone's names straight, this helpful reference page has been compiled. Readers wishing to avoid SPOILERS about the characters who enter the story later should skip this page!

Please note that, unless otherwise noted, the writer listed as the creator of each character also wrote all of the parts of the story that are in that character's point of view. The labels for each author's individual sections have been removed, but it should be easy to determine who wrote what based on this criterion.

Characters are listed in order of appearance.

* * *

 _Quick Note -_

According to the official lore of Order of the Griffin, griffins, much like real birds, go through different molts during their lives. The younger characters in this story eventually lose their brightly colored down, or "baby feathers", and get more naturally colored cub coats. Descriptions of both plumage stages have been provided where applicable.

* * *

 **Characters Introduced in Parts I - III**

LARIMAR is a green chick. Her cub stage coat is light cream with darker wingtips.

FLOCKE is a blue chick. His cub stage coat is faded brown with darker wingtips.

ROURKE is a blue hatchling.

LOLLY is a hazel brown chick.

TULIP is a gold chick. Her cub stage coat is tan with darker wingtips.

GLADIOLUS is a red chick. His cub stage coat is tan with darker wingtips.

GHOST is a hazel brown chick. Her cub stage coat is white.

MATOSKAH is a black chick. His cub stage coat is faded brown with white spots.

SHINY is a black chick. His cub stage coat is dark brown with white spots and darker wingtips.

SPECIAL FLAW is a green chick. His cub stage coat is tan with white spots.

* * *

 **Characters Introduced in Parts IV-VII**

FROSTI is a white cub with black wingtips.

FLASHER is an adult griffin with a gray coat and black tigris stripes.

NEO is a male cub. No description available.

DRACELLIS is a female cub. No description available.

AQUARIUS is a female cub. No description available.

LONGLOCK is a tan cub with darker wingtips.

ONYX is a tan cub with dark wingtips.

THUNDER is a faded brown cub with white spots and darker wingtips.

SUNHIGH is a tan cub.

BLIZZARD is a faded brown cub with darker wingtips.

HAZE is a faded brown cub with white spots and darker wingtips.

MIREILLE is an adult griffin with a pearl (iridescent silver) coat, gray solspardelaius (jaguar spot) markings, and dipped white pattern.

CALICO is a dark brown cup with white spots and darker wingtips


	4. Book 1 (The Progeny)

"What we remember from childhood we remember forever — permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen." - Cynthia Ozick

* * *

\- CHICKS OF DESTINY -

\- BOOK ONE -

THE PROGENY

* * *

The first book of adventures.

Featuring chapters 1 - 40 of Parts I - III.

Here we embark upon our journey with the griffin youth.

* * *

Brief Summary of Book 1  
 _Part I...a motley group of orphaned hatchlings form a flock and begin to work together for survival_  
 _Part II...the flock survives many dangerous predicaments, and makes a surprising discovery_  
 _Part III...with some new friends, the chicks endure even harsher challenges and learn deeper life lessons_


	5. - Book 1, Part I (Chick Stage A)

**Chicks of Destiny  
Book 1**

* * *

PART I:

CHICK STAGE A

* * *

In which several lives enter the world,  
a small flock assembles,  
its great odyssey begins,  
and the stage is set for our adventures.


	6. - - Part I, Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 _On a moonless night, griffin hunters attacked a small flock of hens. The lead hen sounded the alarm just as they reached the nests, and bloody battle started between the humans and the griffins. Eggs were smashed, the nests were destroyed, and griffins and humans alike were killed._

 _The remaining hens fled, leaving behind the bodies of over half the flock. The poachers took all the eggs and gemstones they could find and ran off, burying most of the slain griffins to hide what they had done._

 _All that was left were the scattered pieces of nesting material and bloodstains on the rocks...or so it seemed._

 _Then, nestled beside one of the warm, hidden gemstones, the last surviving eggs start to hatch. Either hidden by their mothers or just fortunate enough to have been avoided most of the fight, they are the only part of the flock left._

 _The chicks are all orphans. What is their destiny? Will they survive?_

* * *

The fading sunlight glinted off the large, emerald egg. It could have been confused with another of the griffin's gemstones if not for its oval shape and the cracks that had spread down its side. It rocked violently. The wind was soft, producing just the faintest rustling. Otherwise, the world was silent excepting the sounds of the shell splitting. Inside the glistening prison, a small, wet form fought as hard as she could to escape. For the first time since she'd been able to think, she wished to leave the darkness and find out where all the sounds she'd heard recently were coming from.

She wanted to know what had happened to the outside. Only a short while ago, the world had been filled with the great cacophony of a flock. Griffins dragging in kills, griffins arguing, griffins singing, mothers calling to their cubs, and her own parent speaking to her through the shell of her egg. Then, a huge wave of noise had exploded. Screams, thuds, smashing!

And now, the chick heard nothing.

 _Don't think about that_ , she told herself as she pushed and pecked and kicked at the thick wall of the shell. _Just keep pushing. Keep going for the light._ She focused on the thin seam of brightness she could now see through the largest crack. One...more...yank...

The egg finally split, breaking into several large, shiny pieces as she crunched part of the shell with her tiny beak. The wet, bright green chick felt light, air, and cold around her. Her eyes remained closed as her sense of touch adjusted to the rough feeling underneath her feet. She squirmed with excitement. The sticks and leaves underneath her shifted around, and she felt the cold ground beneath her, for the nest she had hatched in had been destroyed.

It was so strange! She forgot about her mother in her eagerness to meet the world. Her eyes remained closed; she was scared to open them even as her other senses began to open up. Her surroundings were so big and mysterious. She could scarcely comprehend them, so she decided first to focus on herself. Who was she? Which egg was hers? What name had her mother given her?

Larimar. She didn't know which name belonged to which egg, but she always hearing that name around her cluster of eggs. While several other names came to mind, Larimar stuck the most. It sounded elegant and pretty to the chick. She decided that was what she would be from now on, or at least until her mom came and named her.

Her mother. Suddenly, it all came back to her. Where were her parents?! She had to find them! She could not smell or hear any other griffins. _They have to be around here somewhere._ She rose on shaky legs, stumbled a few paces forward, and sat down. Her soft down was starting to dry, but the warmth gave her no comfort. Why weren't any of the griffins she'd heard coming to her?

"Mother!" she shrieked in her shrill, baby voice. "Help! Help!" Larimar's vibrant green eyes shot open. A world of color rushed in, startling her. "Mother?! MOM!"

* * *

Something was wrong. Between the roars of his mother and the loud sounds of fighting, he knew something was wrong. When he felt himself rolling, and becoming dizzy, he knew something was very wrong. When everything went quiet, he had hoped his mother would come back. Hoped that she would begin humming that beautiful song to help calm his nerves, and persuade him to fall asleep.

However, she didn't come back. He couldn't hear her in the slightest. In fact, he couldn't hear anyone anymore. It was all quiet, as if everyone had left. This scared him. He didn't want to be alone. If they had left, then he needed to catch up! But first, he'd have to break out of his safe haven.

Quickly, he began chipping away at the insides with his beak. There was just one thing on his mind, I have to get out. I have to find mother. It took a good while before, finally, the egg split open. The small blue chick fell on his stomach as the shell bits landed around him. He was exhausted from the work, and simply laid there for a while. All the baby wanted at the moment, was to rest and to have his feathers preened by his mother.

 _Mother!_ , he thought as his eyes shot open. Where was she? Where was everyone? Had they left? He had to find them! As his frantic thoughts started to slow down, he began taking in the world around him. His first thought was that it was so _big_. So very different from the cramped world of his egg. He had to admit, he liked it. As he looked around, he saw that he was under a tree root, below a hill and next to a small stream. There was nothing else in sight. Just him, his surroundings, and the broken shell of his egg.

How in the world was he going to find his mother? She could be anywhere! He so felt lost, and completely alone. He laid his head down on his claws, and (even though he tried not to) began to cry. Why would his mother leave him alone? What had happened? Why was no one else with him?

Then, for a quick moment, he thought he heard something. He lifted his head, and angled his ears to where he thought the sound had come from.

"Help! Help!" There it was. Someone was calling out from above the hill. The blue chick looked up the hill, not sure whether he should go to it or not. "Mother?! Mom!" Wait. Whoever it was looking for their mother too? Was he not the only one who had lost his? Maybe they could help each other. One thing he was certain of, was that he didn't want to be alone.

Slowly, he stood on his feet. He was still tired, but he had to get to the other griffin. At least, he hoped it was another griffin... Slowly and steadily, he began to climb the hill. It took a few moments, and he fell a few times, but he finally made it to the top.

He looked around, new scenery entering his mind. Then he saw something green. Another griffin chick! She was only about 10 feet away, with her back to him.

"Hey!" he called out. This was great! He may not have his mother, but at least he wasn't alone.

* * *

"Mom?!" Larimar croaked. The other griffin was obviously a male and a chick, but it was the only thing she could think to say at the sound of a voice. She spun around, her movements still clumsy and uncoordinated. She didn't recognize the bright blue chick's voice, and wondered which of the nests he had come from. _Maybe he's seen someone!_ Her heart fluttered with excitement.

"Have you seen my mommy?" she said softly. Right after the words left her beak, a thousand other things popped into her head. "Who are you? Where are the big griffins? Where are my siblings?" Unaccustomed to speaking face to face with someone, she continued to rattle off new questions without giving any time in between them.

* * *

Among the wreckage of the griffin nest site, one of the few surviving clutches of eggs glinted jewel-like in the ironically bright sunshine. One of the eggs had already hatched: shards of emerald eggshell littered the decimated nest. But another one, hidden well in the nest, lay quiet. It was smaller than the first, and dappled in blue and dark grey. While still shimmering in the way griffin eggs do, this rather dull egg could easily be mistaken for a smooth rock. Which was exactly the point of such an egg.

The chick within squirmed uneasily. He could not hear griffins around him. In the beginning he could not hear them either, except for that one sweet, caring voice-his mother's voice. It had been the only sound he could hear, in its muffled tones, through his eggshell. It was the only sound in the world. She had been alone, like he was now, and she had brought him here, where once there was so much noise it resonated through his shell and now there was none. She had left him then. Her single familiar voice filled with such love was traded for a dozen voices that seemed to pass right over him as if he wasn't there.

And then there had been other sounds too. Bad sounds, before this silence. The chick couldn't explain what they were or why they were bad; that was too much for his small mind to comprehend. But they were bad, and he was glad for his small secure world then, somehow separate from those sounds.

Now, though, the chick needed to get out. He couldn't explain that either, his need to break out of his dark haven, but he needed to, with all of his small being. He pushed out with all of his limbs, pressed his curled back and head against the walls of his home in gargantuan effort. Slowly, cracks wove spider-like along the dappled egg. It seemed like an eternity before he finally broke out, gasping in exhaustion, and fell blinking onto the ground.

Light. Color. Sound. It stabbed the chick's brain with an overload of signals. There were shapes, greens, browns, light, dark, sounds felt so close. How could he have thought them quiet? He felt blind and deaf in this new world but at the same time he heard and saw everything. He felt cold. His startlingly blue body was covered in some sort of slime, the innards of his home, and the breeze chilled him. His lungs filled with air from the breeze, filled his being head to toe with that feeling called life he had only glimpsed at through his shell. He opened his beak to let out the breath and-

"Mama?" the chick peeped instinctively. There was no answering voice in the new world. There was no sound of motherly love that reached his new ears. His wobbly new chick head bobbed as he looked around. He was alone. There was nothing but ruin. He could tell it was ruin, the world could not look like this. It was wrong.

The chick tried to stand and take a step on his unsteady legs and promptly lost his balance. He sprawled out in the dried grass which was what was left of the nest. "Mama?" he called again in vain. Silence. He tried to remember what her voice sounded like, what her last words to him were. The memories were fading fast. Soon he wouldn't remember hatching.

 _Goodbye, my Rourke_ , his mother's voice echoed in his head. The memory was dim. Was he Rourke? That was the last thing she said before her silence was replaced by the loudness of many griffins. Had she abandoned him?

Rourke collected his legs underneath his blue belly. He had to walk. He had to find his mother. He had to. He was still breathing hard and exhausted from breaking out of his shell, but Rourke's new little heart pounded with determination. Standing shakily, he managed to waddle a pace or two before losing balance. As he fell, wings flared out from his sides and flapped wildly as he got to his feet. Wings? He looked at them. The same astonishing blue as his body, his wings were small, fairly useless, and covered in down smeared in egg slime that was already beginning to dry. The rest of him was too. He was becoming fluffy.

Shuffling his feet to maintain his balance, he noticed the shells of his dappled blue-and-grey egg, as well as a jewel-like green one. Another chick? "Mama?" he called, unable to find another word.

There! A vibrant green chick a small distance from the decimated nest where he was, and another chick, blue like Rourke, facing the first. "Mama!" he chirped excitedly, toddling toward them, minuscule wings flailing.

* * *

The small blue chick listened to the others questions as he walked over to her, and surprisingly, was able to keep track of them. However, one question stuck out the most. Who was he? What was his name? His mother had spoke of some names near his nest, but he couldn't remember any of them. His mother, with her beautiful songs. He remembered those. He remembered the ones that had lyrics. His favorite had been about the snow and frost. She said it was a German song, called Flocke. He liked that word. Could he use that as a name? It's not like there was anyone to say no. So yes, his name would be Flocke.

"I'm Flocke," he told the green chick. "I don't know where everyone is. I'm looking for my mother too." Flocke looked to the ground for a moment in sadness, before perking back up. "But it's alright! I'm sure we'll find them if we look together!" He gave the other chick a happy grin. He was about to ask what the other chicks name was when he heard another voice call out. Looking over, he saw another chick that looked just like him. This other chick was calling for his mother too? How many of them were there?!

* * *

Larimar hesitated. "I'm Larimar," she said. _Well, I think I am..._ Another chick, another griffin just as lost as her. She tried to smile back. Managing a little tremble that looked more like the beginning of sob, she nodded. She noticed Flocke's attention had shifted, and she followed his gaze.

Another chick! Surely this meant they would find one of their moms. With a sudden new, peculiar feeling, she found herself hoping that it would be hers. _Well, all of them must be around here somewhere. No need to think it will be only yours._ Larimar thought back to Flocke's suggestion. Perhaps looking together was a good idea. She found herself doubting how much another still-damp chick could help her, but forced the thought aside. These were the only other living things she'd ever seen.

"We can't find our mommies either," she cried to the new azure hatchling, flopping her tail to get his attention.

* * *

Rourke slowed as he neared the other chicks. They had noticed him, and their curious gaze weighed down on him. However, he shook off any uneasiness he felt and continued toward them.

"Hi," he started, unsure of where the words came from and surprised at how easily they came to him. "I'm Rourke. Did you two just hatch as well?" Rourke glanced from one chick to the other. He had overheard some of what they said, and knew that the green female was Larimar and the blue male was Flocke.

His grey-flecked blue gaze shifted to the carnage around them, and before the others had time to answer his first question, he blurted out another. "Do you know what happened here?" Rourke sounded calmer than he felt. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he steadied himself with the reassurance that maybe, just maybe, his mother had snuck his egg into this flock's nesting grounds and was still alive.

* * *

"What do you mean?" For the first time, Larimar swung her head around and studied the nesting site in its fullness. Having just entered the world, she hadn't really noticed anything weird about her surroundings.

She remembered the huge ruckus from before he had hatched. Had something been done to the nesting site? Sticks, grass, and other nesting material was scattered everywhere. Now that she thought about it, that wasn't very practical for keeping all the eggs organized or hiding them. And the warm, blue stone she'd hatched near...why couldn't she see any more of those?

Larimar looked down, and noticed brownish red flecks in the short down that covered her legs. It had flaked off of the low, flat rock she had been sitting on. Streaks of the color were all over the ground beneath her. _What is this?_ "I...no, I just broke out of my egg," she said. Her tiny heart pounded harder than it ever had before. "But I think something's wrong."

* * *

Flocke spotted the red stains about the same time Larimar did. He didn't know why, but they made him feel sick. He looked back up to Rourke and Larimar. "Same..." It felt better to not look at the stains. If he tried hard enough, he could almost pretend that they weren't there. Almost...

"So, if you don't know where your mother is, and we don't know where our mothers are, then... What do we do now?" For one thing, Flocke _really_ wanted to get away from this area. He felt like something horrible had happened there, and he didn't want to wait long enough to find out what.

Suddenly, there was a loud growl... and it came from his tummy. _'I'm hungry.'_ he thought simply. He looked around (pointedly avoiding the areas where the red stains were) in search for something to eat.

* * *

The sound of twigs snapping and gravel being kicked aside announced the approach of yet another chick. She looked rather strange, though dry she still had a bit of golden eggshell on her head like a helmet. She was built stouter than the other chicks and though she couldn't have been more than a few hours older or younger than they she looked stronger. She didn't seem to be aware of the racket she was making or able to control it, scattering debris everywhere with each step. Her tiny face was scrunched up with determination though it was clear she was surprised to find others here.

She paced around them cautiously a few times, then stopped in front of them, allowing herself to relax. "I'm Lolly." she grunted, nodding curtly. "I've been looking for my mama. She was here and then she was gone and I never got to see her. Since I don't see any mamas anywhere I guess you guys have lost moms too."

Without waiting for a reply she smiled and patted the nearest chick on the shoulder (which happened to be Rourke). "We're going to be ok, because I'm going to protect us. Oh, that reminds me; you guys have any food?" she asked as she doubled over with a hunger pang.


	7. - - Part I, Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Larimar wasn't exactly _scared_ by how the nesting site looked, or even that excited by it, but it definitely made her very uneasy about the whole thing. She honestly wasn't very hungry yet and wasn't feeling very compelled to help the others. It was more like a constant hum within her. She didn't feel full but knew she would last. All she really wanted right now was to find Mom.

"Well..." She was cut off by the sound of more tiny footsteps. Slowly turning her head and eventually her entire body to follow the little brown chick as she walked round them, she forgot what she was going to say about it. Larimar felt a bit of sympathy for Lolly but also concern for herself and the other two chicks. Even this one didn't have a parent. Did that mean all of their mothers were gone?

"Food," she said, scuffling her left foot around in thought. "What does food look like?"

* * *

"It looks yummy." Flocke said without thinking. He came to the simple conclusion that if he liked the way it looked, he was going to eat it. Turning to the new chick (who was _much_ bigger than him) he spoke again.

"We don't have any food. But I want some! Can we go find some?" he asked. He liked Lolly for some reason. Maybe it was because she was looking for food too, which was at the forefront of his mind. "Oh, and I'm Flocke! This is Larimar, and that's Rourke!" he said, gesturing to said chicks. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to constantly talk, even if it was for the others. However, he decided to quiet down after introducing the others. He began looking around for food again.

* * *

"Larimar, Flocke, Rourke, Lolly." Lolly repeated as she pointed to each chick. Even her own name was new to her. Still, she was determined not to forget her new acquaintances' names.

When the question of identifying food came up Lolly scrunched up her face again, this time in a very exaggerated "I'm thinking" expression. "It...smells? Very nice?" she offered. "I dunno. Maybe we should just start looking until we find something that might be food!" she squeaked, "And then, if we're not sure, we taste it!"

Looking very pleased with herself for the idea, she spread out her tiny downy wings as though to gather the other chicks under them. Despite her size, her wings were too small for such a stretch, so she sidled close to Flocke and let one wing hover over his shoulders and nodded for the others to come to the general vicinity of the other. "Shall we start exploring?" she peeped, "I'll lead the way in case there's danger. We won't leave until everyone's ready, but I think we'd better go soon. I have a feeling that food is important and we don't want to be found by any bad things here. If something was bad enough to chase away the mamas, I don't want to face off with it!"

* * *

Larimar nodded in agreement. "Everything out here is so...big. And strong. And...weird." She looked around, marveling at all the color and variety of things. Though she doubted how well Lolly could really protect them if something big and mean came, the nice chick's presence certainly comforted her a bit more. The pangs of hunger were just starting. This was around the time a mother griffin would have given Larimar her first bites of food.

A great, new fear came over Larimar as she looked past Flocke and Lolly into the strange and unexplored things just outside the nesting site. She wanted to help them...she knew that she _should_ want to help everyone...it was only fair. "Um...you know..." her voice dwindled. "Maybe we should just...circle around all the nests. If we find a griffin, they might help us. Or there might be food left somewhere by a mommy."

* * *

Lolly gave a worried glance to the skies and the nesting grounds, but soon recovered her stony confidence. "G-good idea. We ought to do a double-check. After all, maybe our moms are back or hiding." She didn't sound very convinced of this, but she added more earnestly, "I'm sure one of the mommies had some food waiting. We just have to find out where it is... and what it looks like."

She gently shepherded her fellows towards the destruction, making sure to bring up the rear and keeping watch for anything that might be dangerous. "Come on, we need to hurry. We don't want to be spotted by anything." she chirped.

* * *

With a large grin, Flocke bounded for potential food sources. He had been eyeing the few nests that were near the hill he'd wandered up for awhile, and decided to check there first. He was slightly curious as to which nest had been his, but was mainly thinking of food. He left the protection of Lolly's wing, while the other chicks went their own ways.

There were three nests near the hill, and they overlooked the river he had hatched next to. One nest was barely a nest at all anymore, and a broken gem laid within. The second nest was covered in the red stuff and broken eggs, so Flocke decided to skip it. The last one, however, seemed nice. It had definitely been messed with recently, and there were no eggs or gems inside, but there was something.

A small motionless creature was in the partly destroyed nest. Its coat was light brown, it had two long ears and it looked broken. It was just slightly bigger than Flocke, do to his small size. What really grabbed his attention, was the smell. Lolly said that if it smelled good, to taste it, right? Hesitantly, he bent down and put his beak next to the lifeless creature. It was cold, but hinted that it had once been warm. It was also soft. Slowly, Flocke poked his beak into the creatures side. It punctured the skin, and some warm liquid oozed out around his beak. However, he didn't care, because he had just tasted the meat within.

Taking a small bite, Flocke used his claws to tear a small piece from the creature. He tilted his head up, and let the meat go down his throat. His eyes went wide, and a grin reappeared on his face. Without thinking, he plunged back into his meal and began eating it happily. He would have told the others, but his hunger won the fight against logic. He forgot about them, and instead paid all attention to his meal.

* * *

"Hey, wait up!" Lolly peeped as she struggled to keep up, tripping over her large paws a few times in the uphill scramble. When she finally caught up to Flocke, panting, she climbed into the destroyed nest with the broken gem.

Though she wanted to ask Flocke what he was messing with, the gem caught her eye and she couldn't help but investigate it, feeling drawn to its waning power. She touched it gently, not sure what to do with it, but feeling comforted by it somehow. She thought about taking it with her but before she could start wondering how she'd carry it the small amount of magic left in the shards died out and its pull faded. Lolly didn't know why or what could have done it, but she knew that it was something very bad.

Still a bit shaken, she stepped into the nest Flocke was in, relieved it didn't have a gem. When she saw how voraciously he was eating, she wanted to tell him off for eating something strange without knowing if it was ok, but once the smell hit her nose she caved as well and darted for the food.

She was cautious as she neared; hungry as she was, she felt that approaching someone with food was potentially dangerous. She nibbled on the leg and watched Flocke carefully, ready to jump back if he was protective of the food. She certainly wasn't going to alert the others if there was food and Flocke wasn't going to share.

* * *

At first, the slight tug of his food made him upset. He felt overprotective of it for some reason. But upon seeing Lolly, Flocke calmed down. Something about her made him feel safe. Scooting over, but continuing to eat, he let Lolly in so she could eat as well. He was almost done anyway. He had eaten a good amount, but there was still plenty left for the others to get a nibble.

* * *

Larimar went in the opposite direction of Flocke and Lolly. She found her own nest. It hadn't worried her at the time of her hatching, but where were her siblings? She remembered a brother-maybe two-and one sister peeping softly from their eggs while she was still inside of hers. After the big explosion of noise, they were gone.

 _Is Rourke one of them?_ She spotted the pieces of his egg by her viridescent shards. Thinking back, Larimar didn't remember his voice, and something about the male chick just didn't feel the same to her. She would have recognized the chicks she'd spent her entire life up to hatching with.

Despite looking like some wild animal had torn it apart, the nest made her feel a little better. She brushed up against the warm chunk of sapphire that was as big as her. Glancing down, a flash of color caught her eye. Another gemstone? She bent her head down and picked up a piece of teal eggshell. _Huh. This doesn't look like a part of my egg._ A new idea popped into her head. _Maybe eggshells can be food!  
_  
She crunched it in her beak, eagerly awaiting a sweet taste that matched its beauty.

"Yuck!" A horrible, chalky taste filled her mouth. She felt the sharp pieces scratch the soft entrance to her throat, shocking her. A salty, metallic liquid filled her mouth. She spat out the pieces, clawing at her beak. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Eew!" A weird, red substance was mixed with her saliva. Ignoring her pain out of curiosity, she studied it. _Is this that red stuff from the rocks? Why is it coming out of me?  
_  
She decided not to dwell on that. Eggshells were definitely NOT food...so what was? "Maybe Lolly and Flocke got some," she grumbled, climbing out of the nest to find them.

* * *

Lolly managed to put off stuffing her face, knowing that as biggest chick she had a responsibility to the others. "Rourke! Larimar! We've found some food over here!" she peeped as her stomach growled. She didn't dare eat when the others hadn't. She'd failed her siblings, but she wouldn't fail them.

"Come on, eat!" she coaxed a bit impatiently, irritation creeping up against her will. Nasty thoughts popped into her head, about how she deserved a mama to feed her right now and that since she was bigger she should eat first, but she forced these down.

 _'No, I protect them now. I can handle this, they can't.'_ she thought. Lolly lifted her head to see Larimar coming, but didn't notice the red coming from her beak as she was too far away. She forced a smile. "We found out what food looks like!"


	8. - - Part I, Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Larimar smiled broadly when she heard Lolly announce she had found food. Pain shot through her face as she did, and she immediately winced. "Yay!" she exclaimed. She clumsily stumbled past the other two chicks to dig into the discovery. The scent coming off of it was delicious, a scent Larimar would remember for the rest of her life.

She paused, her beak hovering over the prey. "It's that stuff again," she said, turning her head to get a closer look. "It's all over it." A thin trail of crimson ran down her chin. She wiped it away with her front foot.

* * *

Flocke had finished eating by the time Larimar arrived. When she spoke up about "that stuff" he looked back down at his find. Shocked, he backed up a step.

"It wasn't there when I found it!" he cried. "It was... normal..." Flocke trailed off as he looked closer. It seemed like the red stuff was coming from... inside the thing? No, that couldn't be right... He looked back up to Larimar, and gasped.

"It's on you!" he yelped before darting under Lolly's wing for protection. He was completely oblivious to the fact that the same red stuff was staining his own beak and the blue feathers on his face. Though his stains came from the food.

* * *

"It's on you, too." Lolly said as calmly as she could manage. "It must have come from the food." To confirm this, she squished the thing with her paw. More red dripped out, though most had congealed by now. She patted Flocke comfortingly and left his side to inspect the red stains themselves, from the ones under the rabbit to the ones spattered on the rocks and twigs of ruined nests.

She sniffed a nearby puddle of red stuff not far from the red stuff under the food. The smell made her downy fluff stand on end and her back arch. She backed away quickly. "Bad, bad, bad!" she peeped, "That is a bad smell! The one from the food is like it, but it's not bad. I don't know why." She stepped towards Larimar, sniffing about her mouth and chin. "Bad! That's the bad red! How did it get on you?"

* * *

Larimar shrunk back. Bad? Was she bad now that she had that icky red on her? "I don't know!" she cried defensively. "My mouth got hurt on a piece of shell, and it just started coming out." She cringed, a wave of pain returning as she spoke as fast as she could. Did the red have something to do with being hurt? "Oh," she added, "Don't eat eggshells. They taste bad."

She backed away from the food. It's smell was tantalizing, but her fear of the unknown was strong enough to keep her away.

* * *

Lolly looked puzzled. No, Larimar wasn't bad. She looked at the stains, the puddle under the food, and at Larimar. Hoping to make sense of it, she thought out loud.

"Red stuff is all over the place. Red stuff comes from food. Red stuff comes from your mouth when you hurt it. The red stuff from the food is good. The red stuff on the ground is bad. The red stuff on the ground smells like the red stuff on your mouth, but not like the red stuff on the food."

She looked at the thing Flocke had been eating, noting the fur and the flesh. "Red stuff...comes from...things that are fluffy?" she muttered. "Or maybe red stuff comes from things that are...?" she simply didn't have the word. "Maybe we all have red stuff come out when we hurt out mouths." she offered. "Maybe a lot of mommies hurt their mouths on eggshells and that's why they left. Maybe a mama knows a secret on how to fix it." It was all comforting blather now, Lolly had no idea what was truth and what was speculation.

"You do need to eat. We ALL do. There's perfectly good food here and we don't know if there's some anywhere else. Until you all eat, I won't let you go anywhere else!" Lolly commanded. Whether she could actually make good on her promise was questionable, but she did hope they'd understand the seriousness of her demand

* * *

Flocke looked closely as Larimar. She didn't seem comfortable, and it looked like the red stuff hurt her. He wondered why. The red stuff was coming from inside her? Why? He looked at the food again, to see the red stuff coming from it. So, it came from inside them? He didn't like that thought. There had to be a way to stop it, right? As uncomfortable as it made him, Flocke wanted to know why eating egg shells made the red stuff come out.

"Larimar? Can I see inside your beak?" he gave her big griffin chick eyes that seemed to beg, _'Please~?'_

* * *

Larimar turned toward Flocke. She leaned forward a little before recoiling. "It's not that bad," she grumbled. She looked back over to Lolly. Her hunger was just starting to annoy her, or maybe it was all their demands...

Ouch. What was wrong with her? _That definitely wasn't a nice thing to think, me!_ she told herself. She knew Lolly and Flocke were just concerned about finding food and their moms. Larimar was becoming more and more anxious about the whole thing, and, coupled with her injury, it was making her a bit more sensitive.

They only want to help. Shifting awkwardly, she opened her beak to show Flocke whatever had happened in there. The wounds themselves weren't too big or deep, but she'd managed to tear some of the soft skin with her foolish taste-test. "Haa aada i oook ak?" she asked without closing her beak, meaning to ask what it looked like.

* * *

Flocke cringed at the wounds. He used his tongue to feel around his own mouth, and could tell that Larimar's mouth was wrong, compared. "It looks... mad." That was the only way he could describe it. "It's red and puffy, but not too much. Just a little..." Turning away, he looked back at the food. His mind quickly left his previous thought and raced to a new one.

"Lar! Eat the food! It tastes _really_ good." he said excitedly. He was so proud of himself for finding it, and wanted to share it. (Now that he was done with it, that is...) He moved out of the way so she could get to it. As he did, he began looking around for something fun to do.

* * *

Lolly nodded. "Flocke is right. You just need to eat the food and then we'll figure things out from there. If red stuff comes from hurting ourselves, then we'll just have to be careful not to hurt ourselves!"

Lolly could no longer help herself and began eating, making sure that Larimar could join her by leaving her plenty of room. Rourke would have to come on his own, because as noble as her intentions were she was still just a baby and could only restrain herself for so long. Flocke was right, the food was delicious, and though it was a little bit difficult to pull pieces of meat off by herself she managed to get the hang of it.

* * *

Larimar just grunted in response and started on the food. Sharp things were obviously to be avoided. She was troubled by the thick, crimson liquid, but, as Lolly observed, it was probably just a side-effect of pain. She wondered how it had gotten all over the dead creature, and why it was coming from the inside. _Did someone have to hurt it to make it food?  
_  
She set to work gnawing off a piece of her own. Flavor she couldn't describe filled her mouth. Like everything else, it was new to her, but she knew that she wanted more! Once she had a sizable chunk of the soft, red part, she retreated a few steps from the other two, preferring to eat without them on either side of her.


	9. - - Part I, Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

With the two chicks finally eating, Flocke turned to find something else to do. He saw Rourke in the distance doing something, but couldn't make out what.

"Rourke! We found food!" he called out. Without waiting for a response, Flocke turned to find something to do. He ended up facing the nest covered in red stuff. Part of him told him to look away and find something else to do. However, another part was telling him to investigate. Slowly, he walked towards the nest.

It was covered in red stuff, but Flocke couldn't find the source of it. It was like whatever the red stuff had come from, had been moved to some other place. The nest itself wasn't as destroyed as the rest of them, but it was still obviously messed with. Inside, a gem was missing and two broken eggs laid sadly. What caught Flocke's attention, was that one of the eggs looked like his own. A brilliant blue next to a broken white egg.

For a moment, he wondered if this had been his nest. He had obviously rolled away during whatever had happened here, and this nest was close enough to the hill for that to have happened. However, Flocke didn't like the idea that this red covered nest was his. It made him feel sad.

He was about to walk away when he saw a small white feather hidden in the nest material. By small, I mean it was about the size of Flocke's head. It had obviously been one of the smaller feathers of a mother hen, but Flocke doesn't know that.

Flocke didn't know why, but he was drawn to the feather. He sniffed it a bit, and then gently nuzzled it, before deciding that he wanted to keep it. Scooping it up in his beak, Flocke gently tucked it under his right wing. It was just slightly longer, so it poked out from beneath.

Happy with his find, Flocke trotted back to the other chicks. He ignored the fact that he was starting to get tired.

* * *

Realizing that he had been separated from the group, Rourke quickly looked around. Where did they go? His senses still hadn't adjusted to being outside of his shell.

Hearing movement in the forest surrounding the nest site, Rourke toddled toward the edge, thinking it was his friends. Little did he know he was heading away from the group. "Guys?" he said. "I'm getting kind of hungry..."

Beady dark eyes peered at him from the shadows as he entered the forest. Rourke tilted his head. "Guys?" Those eyes didn't look like griffin eyes. A grey shape, bigger than he with a black mask across its face and black rings on its tail, leaped forward and grabbed Rourke in its dexterous claws. Rourke barely had time to chirp in alarm before it was all over.

* * *

Lolly finished her meal and looked about for Rourke. He wasn't where she'd left him. She would have gone looking for him, but her sensitive nose picked up the smell of bad red stuff from the forest. It smelled fresh and strong so she decided to get her two friends somewhere safe. Wherever he was, she couldn't help him now. Where there was red stuff, there was danger.

"Come on!" she peeped, trying not to let too much fear in her voice. "We need to find a place to hide so we can rest." She almost added 'and I smell a lot of fresh bad red stuff' but didn't because she didn't want to worry them and because they probably smelled it too.

She hopped from nest to nest avoiding smashed eggshells and red-spattered feathers as she looked for some little nook three chicks could hide in. She spied a small gap in the rocks further down the hill, but she was too far away to see if it was suitable.

"Down there; there's a place we might be able to sleep and hide so no bad things get us." she said to the others, pointing it out.

* * *

Flocke listened to Lolly, and began heading for the gap. He tried to ignore the bad smell in his beak, but found it was impossible. As he continued for the gap, he swiveled his head to try and pin point where the smell was coming from. His eyes landed where he had last seen Rourke. With a quick intake of breathe, Flocke quickly looked away.

While naïve, he wasn't stupid. He knew something had happened to Rourke- something bad. _'I just saw him...'_ he thought to himself, sadly. Could bad things really happen that quickly?

His ears began to droop at the thought, but he quickly perked up. He couldn't let that get to him. They were obviously in a bad situation, and if they let sad things get to them, Flocke knew they'd end up giving up. He couldn't let that happen.

With a convincing smile, (that was unnoticeably fake) Flocke reached the gap in the rocks. He didn't know how Lolly wanted them to file in, so he waited for directions. He did his best to ignore the bad smell, and kept on smiling.

* * *

Lolly ignored Flocke's expression and gently postioned him in the gap, turning him this way and that and thinking.

"This will work. We need to put something over it so nothing can see us from above, though." she mused. She brought some twigs from the ruined nests (ones free of feathers and red stuff) and covered the gap with them. The gap was deep enough so that even with a makeshift roof over it they could all fit in without scraping their heads on it. It still looked out of place, so Lolly tried to conceal it with leaves and grasses, but she wasn't too adept at it.

"Uh, I'm not so good at this." she admitted. "Larimar, Flocke, do you guys think you could do better? I'll be on guard for anything bad while you work on it, if you think it needs help." She sighed as she looked at her work. Shabby, messy. Obviously she had no talent for this.

* * *

Flocke came out of the little nook Lolly had put him in to take a try at it. He looked at the whole thing first: Boulders with a small gap, in a meadow and near a couple trees. How would one hide the gap?

"Maybe we can make it look like a bush?" he tried. He decided it was worth a shot, and began gathering leaves and twigs. He found that some small branches from the bushes could be bent without snapping. He used those to tie the leaves, twigs and branches together.

"Larimar, can you help me place everything on the rocks? Make it look as bushy as possible, but don't stick anything in the gap. Kind of drape the long branches over the gap, by tying the top of them to the branches on top of the rocks." Getting into a rhythm, Flocke momentarily turned towards Lolly. "Lolly? Can you gather more twigs and leaves? Don't get too many different types; stick to similar shapes and colors. Get _lots_ of them!"

He didn't know why, but Flocke felt like he was in his element. He seemed to like the thrill of creating things. However, he caught himself spending too much time on some things, as if he needed to make sure they were _perfect_. Whenever he caught himself doing this, he quickly finished whatever it was, and moved onto the next thing. He liked the way their makeshift hide-out was turning out.

* * *

Okay..." Larimar went over everything in her head, only picking up about half of it. At first she meticulously placed each long branch, her left foot trembling as it struggled to grasp the wide pieces of wood. Then it became a steady rhythm, a set of movements she could follow, and she quickly placed branch after branch. She had to take apart a few layers because she'd misplaced a few, but the sturdy beginnings of a roof were eventually laid down.

The tying thing was a little trickier for her. Using her beak, she was able to fasten them down and did her best to tighten it with her claws. She moved under it, checking from inside. "Looks okay to me."

"Hey," she said, a thought popping into her head. Lolly and Flocke had sped her along unnaturally fast. Larimar, always wanting to keep up with the others, hadn't even noticed why. "Where's Rourke?" she asked, looking around as if the blue chick were just hiding. Sure, she'd smelt that red stuff. Sure, she knew it meant he was hurt somehow.

But...death. That was a new thing to the chick. Things were either alive or not alive to her. Another peeping griffin couldn't just...disappear. _He's probably lost. Didn't they notice?!_

* * *

Flocke had been so entranced with his work, that Larimar's question startled him. For a quick moment, he had forgotten about Rourke and wondered the same thing. Then the memory came back. His ears fell, and his work slowed.

 _'No.'_ he thought to himself. _'I can't stay sad. Sad is bad.'_ his fake smile returned, and he looked to Larimar.

"I saw him doing stuff near the trees, but when I looked again, he was gone. I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he found some other chicks and is playing with them. Ooh! Even better, maybe he found his mother..." that last bit didn't make him feel better. He knew it wasn't true, but the thought of the other chick finding a mother and just leaving them behind upset him. And he knew that if it upset him, it would upset the others too.

"Hey Lar! I'll bet we can finish this before he gets back!" Flocke was happy with this idea. The challenge would definitely get his mind off of Rourke's disappearance, even though it was a challenge he knew they'd win.

* * *

The conversation was turning to Rourke, just as Lolly had feared. She was far too tired to go on a search and rescue mission and without her to protect them, they'd be defenseless...

"We'll look for Rourke once we've had a rest in our hidey-nest. If Rourke comes back, we can make space for him and he can sleep with us too." she said stoutly, not even sure if they'd be able to later on. Still, she'd say anything to keep her friends safe. They were still here, red stuff in their bodies where it belonged. Rourke...

She tried to push it down, but the fact was that Rourke had suffered an unimaginable injury because she had let him out of her sight. She knew it wasn't entirely her fault, perhaps it had been unavoidable all along, but still her heart ached that she had failed a friend. _"I'm so sorry, Rourke."_ she thought, then projected that thought towards the forest as though it could somehow reach him.

She couldn't dwell on someone she couldn't help, not when she still had two chicks to look after. "Come on, we need sleep. I'm not going in until both of you are. If Rourke's in the woods, he'll have found a place to sleep too, by now. We don't have the energy to go looking."

* * *

"Oh. Okay, then!" Larimar said happily, not noticing their uneasiness. _Hopefully his Momma or whoever he found will be able to help with whatever hurt him._ She went over to Lolly to help place the smaller leaves on top of the larger, criss-crossing branches.

She felt a tiny pang of cold on her back. Twisting her head around, she spotted a tiny drop of wetness on her. _Huh?_ Another patch of water, appeared on her wings, and she felt the same cold and wet sensation appear on her head. "Stop it!" she squeaked, backing up. "The sky's spitting on me!"


	10. - - Part I, Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Lolly looked up at the sky accusatorily. Raindrops still pittered on them, coming more frequently with every second. She hissed and peeped angrily but the droplets ignored her.

"Get in the hidey hole!" she squeaked, trembling from the cold water. "It's not going in there!"

Lolly darted into the hole and shook herself off. She pressed herself against the wall so that the others could get by her.

"Why is there water coming out of the sky?" she whimpered, not yet noticing that the scent of the red stuff was washing away as the rain poured down.

* * *

Larimar raced in after her, her little wings flapping around to get the droplets off. "Did we make it mad?!" She poked her head out to look at the sky. "It's getting dark and...fluffy." The soft strips of gray cloud that had been in the sky had been replaced with dark, bloated puffs of raincloud. It wasn't that bad of a storm, but the rain frightened Larimar. What if the sky got _really_ mad and tried to drown them?

She was surprised by how easily she fit next to Lolly in the crevice It had looked so small on the outside. An occasional drop seeped through the ceiling and plopped down onto her, but their cover kept out most of the rain, keeping the floor nice and dry.

* * *

Lolly huddled closer to Larimar for warmth, shivering. "Hurry up, Flocke! The sky-water isn't as bad in here!" The eggshell helmet she wore scraped against the ceiling of their little den so she had to hunker down. When that didn't work she tipped it off her head, where it landed under a leak and caught water like a golden bowl. "Hey, that's useful!" she said to herself, and dug a small indentation for it to rest in without spilling. "Now it won't puddle up in here anymore." she explained to Larimar. "Don't spill the eggshell when you get in, Flocke!" she warned.

* * *

Flocke turned his head to Lolly when she called his name. Unlike the two girls, he had been very amused by the rain. He didn't understand it, but it wasn't hurting him either. He had been jumping around in it and trying to catch it with his tongue when Lolly called him. He didn't want to stop play, but he suddenly realized just how tired he was.

With a yawn, Flocke climbed into the hidey hole (being sure to not spill the egg bowl) and laid down under Lolly's wing. He was a bit damp, but his small size meant it would be less uncomfortable for the other two.

He liked their hidey hole. It was comfortable, and to him, spacious. He watched the world through the branches covering the entrance. The rain was beginning to poor down harder, and he was grateful that Lolly had called him in before he got caught in it. He yawned once more before laying his head down and falling asleep. Instinctively, he nuzzled against Lolly's side, as if she were a sibling.

He dreamt of wonderful things that night. A beautiful meadow full of griffins, him, Lolly, Larimar and Rourke playing together with their siblings, and a mother he'd never know. All the while her beautiful voice echoed through his mind, and helped him forget that she was no longer there.

* * *

Lolly fought sleep as long as possible but as soon as she had both Flocke and Larimar as safe as she could get them her head dropped and she was asleep within seconds. Occassionally she would flinch or chirp in her sleep, though whatever she was dreaming of would vanish the second she opened her eyes again. However, for the moment she slept deeply. She cozeyed up to both Flocke and Larimar, stretching and twisting her body until she had her wing and tail around Flocke and her head tucked next to Larimar's. She sighed with contentment since she could, even in her sleep, guard her friends.

* * *

Larimar shifted, trying to find a comfortable position on the ground. She flopped over, bumped into Lolly, and returned to her old spot. The soft pitter-patter of the rain became louder and louder, receding at times before it rose again. It became less and less of a distraction over time, turning into a fast and constant beat.

It was hard for her to fall asleep even when she became content. Her wings were outstretched, one draped over Lolly, the other folded slightly against the wall. She closed her eyes and thought about the day. _My first day outside the egg. Is mommy out in the rain? Is she with Rourke? Maybe we'll never find her...But at least I have two friends._ She smiled a little, maybe it wasn't that bad.

Soon she drifted off into a deep, soothing sleep. Her dream was a simple but confusing one. A beautiful hen led her along, telling her where to go in a soft, gentle voice. Larimar decided that she liked the hen. She loved her. She loved her more than anything in the world and was never going to ever loose her again.

Then the shadowy griffin turned to smile at her chick. Larimar peeped happily, mimicking the same action outside of her dream as she scrabbled her around in the dirt. Her mother started to fade away, still calling to her as if nothing were wrong. _Follow me, Larimar. Come on, we have to go. Follow me, my dear.  
_  
 _I can't!_ the green chick's dream-self replied. The hen couldn't seem to hear her. She disappeared, still chirping happily to Larimar. Larimar searched desperately, but nothing was left. She was all alone, the only thing in existence, looking for a mother she'd never even seen...

She gave a shrill cry for help. _Mommy! Mommy! MOMMY!_

Larimar sat up. Lolly. Flocke. Her friends were with her. She wasn't alone. She hoped that she hadn't really shrieked outside of her dream. After taking a few deep breaths, she put her head down and went back to sleep. This time it was blessedly dreamless.

* * *

Lolly yawned and sat up, stretching out her stiff muscles. She was feeling very well rested, but a bit groggy still. The sky outside was still gloomy, but the storm had mostly passed, leaving behind huge puddles and a light drizzle. She trotted up to the eggshell to find it overflowing with water. The water reminded her of wetness, the wetness reminded her that her throat was feeling very dry. After a few failed attempts to work up enough spit to moisten it once more, she plunged her beak into the eggshell. The water worked like a charm and felt very nice to swallow as well, so without too much thought she drained half the shell before remembering Flocke and Larimar.

They were still asleep, to Lolly's relief. Though her curiosity was now piqued and she wanted to explore the new things outside, she decided that she would wait for her friends to wake up, after all there was safety in numbers as they'd learned quite harshly with Rourke. She curled up by the entrance, watching the outside world. No mommies had returned, and there was a strange rumbling sound coming from the distance. It sounded like a large creature was growling in the sky, and once in a while Lolly thought she spotted it, a bright flash across the sky that lit up the clouds. She hoped whatever it was that it couldn't see them. Perhaps that thing got Rourke or chased the mothers away? Unlikely, Lolly decided. The Rumbly thing wasn't around yesterday and she hadn't heard it until now.

There was another new thing that Lolly saw, too. It crept in from the forest and loped from nest to nest on all fours, sticking its nose into places and coming up with things Lolly couldn't make out from there. It had red fur and keen yellow eyes, and it was obviously looking for something. It had no wings, so it was no griffin, and it had strange pointy growths in its mouth. Lolly watched it until it disappeared over the hill, still hunting among the nests. Lolly didn't know what it was, but she didn't trust it. She hoped someone would wake up soon so she could tell them about the thing.

* * *

Flocke felt the movement of Lolly as a ray of sunlight seeped through the branches in the entrance and hit his eyelids just right. He grumbled and tucked his head more into Lolly's side to avoid that blasted light only to find that she had moved away. The ray of light bore into his sleeping eyes, and finally he gave up.

He lifted his head, his fluff sticking out in funny ways. He smacked his beak in an attempt to rid his mouth of the disgusting morning taste, left from sleeping with his beak open. As he did, he noticed the world outside. There was a slight morning mist below the grey clouds, puddles were _everywhere_ and bits of sunlight made it through the dark clouds here and there. It looked amazing, and he wanted to go play in it.

Then he noticed Lolly sitting in the entrance, and Larimar still sleeping. He walked over to Lolly and sat down next to her.

"Hi!" he said happily. His voice was ruff and tired, but he ignored it. "Can we go out and play?" he asked her. He felt the need to have her approval before he did anything, which sucked, because he also felt the need to play _as soon as possible_. He watched the world before him as he waited for her answer, and for Larimar to wake up.

* * *

Lolly smiled at Flocke. "We can't go anywhere without Larimar, so we'll have to stay just outside. No one gets left behind anymore." She craned her neck out of the den looking for that strange thing, but it wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Oh, if your mouth feels weird the water helps!" she said, pointing to the eggshell. "Mine felt dry and gross this morning, that's why I said that. It also tastes kind of good. Well, it tastes like nothing, but it's refreshing."

Lolly had never played before, and she'd been too preoccupied with protecting the group to even consider the notion. However, hearing Flocke say it made her suddenly excited, and suddenly she wanted to wrestle, chase and roll with her friends. She ran outside in anticipation, lowering into a play bow as her tail waggled, eyes trained on Flocke.

"Come and get me!" she squealed.

* * *

Excited, Flocke quickly took two gulps of the water, then raced outside. He chased after Lolly, and was surprisingly able to keep up. His legs might have been shorter, but he moved them quicker. Add the fact that Lolly was a bit more clumsy with her foot work than Flocke, and you had a small blue chick that was just barely behind the bigger chick. He soon found out that his energy lasted longer too, because Lolly started slowing down, letting him catch up.

Just as he got close enough, he tackled her. However, being smaller, he wasn't able to topple her. Instead, he clung to her back for a few moments, before falling off gracelessly. He landed in a puddle, and became muddy instantly. Looking at his feathers, he laughed. He looked ridiculous. He got up, and began jumping in the puddle.

"Lolly, come jump!" he called to his friend. Fun wasn't fun without someone to share it with.


	11. - - Part I, Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Larimar watched them from inside their shelter, looking a little worried. She was troubled by her dream and reluctant to join them in a their play. It looked quite boisterous to her. She cautiously took a few steps out, her paws squishing around in the mud. _Eew!_ she thought, clawing at her soiled down.

More squishing, slopping sounds came out of the mud. She tried to maintain her expression of frustration and disgust, but her frown soon melted away like sticky, wet wax. Giggling, she dug a little hole in the soft earth and started splashing around in the water and filth. She glanced up every once and awhile to watch Flocke and Lolly, happy that her friends were enjoying themselves.

* * *

Lolly dove into the mud, her brown down soon became a dripping and much darker brown. She kicked up a clod at Flocke before darting after him again, tripping up a few times but not really minding. Their laughter rang throughout the ruins, and for a while she forgot about Roarke or siblings or missing mothers or strange beasts in the sky. She spotted Larimar and tried to call her over but slipped and landed face-first in the mud. She pulled herself up gagging and spitting.

"It tastes terrible," she choked in between gasps, "don't eat it!" It slowly began to occur to her that it may not have been a good idea to jump in the mud without knowing how to get it off your feathers and out of your mouth. She would have pondered further but there was more playing to do. She wrestled with Flocke and allowed him to pin her down a few times, feeling this was the proper thing to do.

* * *

"Hey!" Larimar chirped loudly, throwing mud everywhere as she flicked her tail up. "Hey! Watch this, guys!"

She dove into a puddle of water, creating a few patches of bright green among of the grunge. Then she stumbled back into the mud, rolling around a few times. She was barely recognizable when she emerged, her whole body coated in the mud. For a moment, she felt the urge to get it off and look presentable. _Nah, this is too fun!_ she decided.

She tensed her back legs, wiggling her whole body as she pressed herself into the ground. Then she jumped, flapping her wings to scatter the mud everywhere, and landed with a big splash in the water.

* * *

Flocke couldn't stop laughing- he was having so much fun. The splash from Larimar's jump got him in the side, making him even more dirty. (He didn't miss the fact that she had jumped quite high for a chick.) He looked at himself, then at Larimar.

"Look Larry! We're mini Lollys'!" he cried happily. He began rolling in the mud and damp grass. When he stopped, he was on his side facing away from the hidey hole and the girls. Still lying down, he angled his head to look up in relation to his body. ((Not towards the sky, but towards the ruined nests.)) He took in a deep breathe while he stretched himself like a cat, then exhaled. As he did, his gaze drifted towards the hill.

He saw something.

In confusion, Flocke sat back up on his belly. The thing was red with small pointy ears, and had no wings. It looked strange to Flocke, who had only seen other griffin chicks up until then. It was digging around in the red nest Flocke had checked yesterday, but lifted its head with nothing. That's when Flocke saw the pointy growths in its mouth. They looked menacing, and Flocke instinctively knew that the being was dangerous.

However, he found himself motionless. He was stunned, and couldn't bring himself to move or say anything. He watched as the creature's ears moved as if hearing something, then as it turned its head to look straight at him. It had amber eyes seemed to bore right into Flocke's very being.

As the thing started stalking towards him, he unintentionally let out a little whimper.

The only thing he could think, was a silent plea, _'Mother...'_

* * *

Lolly stopped playing when she saw Flocke freeze with fear. She looked up and nearly screamed. The thing she'd seen earlier was eyeing them hungrily, especially little Flocke. Her mind went blank in her panic. She couldn't think of anything to do, and found herself staring at the beast helplessly.

Something kicked in for her, though. Acting on pure instinct she arched her back, all her feathers stood on end, and she puffed up her chest; she needed to look as big as possible. In this position she stepped in front of Flocke in the path of the thing. She hissed and shrieked, showed the thing her claws. It wasn't leaving, but it definitely seemed more cautious now. "Go away!" she snarled, though the fox couldn't understand her.

She looked big and scary, but her heart was pounding. She should have told them about this thing before, but Flocke wanted to play so badly... She only hoped that the display would be enough to make the thing go away.

* * *

 _Larry...really?_ Before Larimar could reply, time went into fast forward. She, too, froze with fear at the sight of the huge monster. While small to an adult griffin, the fox was a huge, moving blur of danger to the green chick. Larimar shrank back, the dried mud in her feathers falling in clumps and the fresh, sticky stuff pulling her down. Her whole body pounded with her heartbeat. She stood still as a statue, listening to the quickening pulse of her heart.

Lolly's show of bravery snapped her back into the present. The pure devotion the little hazel chick displayed for her friend was...shocking to Larimar. _I could never do that!_ Larimar's thoughts screamed.

 _Yes, you can_ , said another part.

She took a step forward before freezing up again. Her whole body shook with fear. It choked her, inflicting more pain on the chick than a fox's fangs ever would, but she could not move forward to help them.

* * *

Flocke had been so terrified, but then, as if she were a guardian angel, there was Lolly- growling at the scary creature as if she were bigger and scarier than it. It had snapped him out of his daze. Lolly was protecting him and Larimar. But that's no surprise, because she always did, and something told him that she always would.

Still shaking, Flocke followed her example, more out of wanting to stay alive himself rather than to help protect themselves as a whole. He stood his ground on wobbly feet, and did his best to make himself look bigger. Of course, this barely made him look average height, but it still did the trick. He no longer looked like a small easy meal that would cause no fight or trouble. (Who are we kidding, he still looks like that...) Flocke would have growled too, but he knew it would be useless. His voice would probably squeak from terror, if it came out at all.

The creature didn't seem too scared by their little show of defense, though. Instead, it seemed curious, slightly cautious, but all around ready to grab one of them and go. It was still mainly eyeing Flocke, which scared the living daylight out of him. He didn't to be... what was the word? Was there a word for what this thing wanted to do? What exactly did it want to do anyway? Flocke didn't know, but he did know that he didn't want the creature to... whatever the creature did... to him.

Thinking quickly, and with a shaky claw, Flocke saw a sharp rock and grabbed it. Then, with all his tiny might, he threw it right at the creature's face. There was a loud, _crack_ , as the stone connected with bone, and the creature yelped loudly in pain. It bent down and covered its face with its paws, then started swiping furiously at its forehead. When it lifted its head back up, Flocke noticed two things: One, the red stuff was leaking from where the rock hit the creatures head, and two, said creature looked angry enough to attack. Which he was about to.

Quickly, Flocke picked up another (albeit smaller) rock and readied to throw it.

* * *

Larimar crouched down, trying to make herself as small as possible. She hoped Flocke's defense would deter the fox rather than make it mad. She wanted to tell him to back off. _It's too big of a risk, Flocke!_ But the paralysis brought on by her fear held her tight.

"F-F-Flocke..." she managed to croak, the mandibles of her beak barely moving. Her hind legs tensed, ready to jump away if it came near her.

She noticed the red stuff leaking from its russet head. He'd hurt it. Little Flocke had hurt a big, mean predator! She crept forward a little, stretching out her foot to search for a stone of her own. Her right leg slipped out from under her, causing her to splash down into the water and make a loud smacking noise as she squished into the mud. "Oof!"

* * *

Lolly smiled. "Good throw, Flocke! We should all do that until it runs away!" She sidestepped and kicked a bunch of small pebbles, not all of them hitting but enough to make the fox yip and jump back.

It seemed much less certain of itself now, still wondering if it could even hope to pick off the littlest one but too wary to lunge for him. _'Just a little more.'_ Lolly thought. "If this works, you probably saved us, Flocke." she said aloud, keeping her eyes on the creature the whole time. "Larimar, if you can, throw rocks at it!"

* * *

Larimar grunted as she tugged herself out of the mud, but she quickly resumed her task of finding rocks. She grabbed the closest hard thing she saw: a stick. Still crouching, she moved up behind Lolly and threw it as hard as she could. Her aim wasn't very good, but she managed to hit the fox's side.

It turned toward her. Since it was much lighter than a stone and thrown rather lightly, her little twig hadn't done much damage. She wrapped the talons of her left foot around a muddy, circular rock and hurled it. She hit the face this time, right above the eye. Her green gaze shifted back and forth between Lolly and Flocke. _Come on, come on…_


	12. - - Part I, Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After Flocke quickly threw the second, and then a third, rock at the creature, he felt a sense of pride. Especially when Lolly complimented the idea and began following his lead. When he noticed Larimar had joined, he grinned. There was no way they'd lose now! Flocke began hurling rock after rock at the creature. Some were big, some would barely count as annoying. However, what mattered was that it was relentless. Flocke could almost see it as a game.

The fox, by this point, was getting frustrated as it continued to shield itself. This meal was proving harder to get than it should have been. With no adult griffins around, he thought this meal would be a walk in the park. He never expected day old, parentless chicks to fight back like this. Apparently they had already hardened themselves, and weren't going to call out for a mommy to help, when they knew there was none to come. The fox was trying to decide whether the pros outweighed the cons. Sooner or later, one of the chicks would give in, and he'd have his meal. However, what sort of damage would he gain by then? These chicks had good throwing arms after all! _Once more..._ the fox thought. _But which one?_

Again, he eyed Flocke, and lunged. Flocke, the quick little thing that he was, moved out of the way the moment he saw it coming. However, the moment he saw it coming had been a little late. While the creature did, in fact, miss, it still managed to graze its teeth into Flocke's back thigh. The chick yelped in pain before quickly limping to Lolly and Larimar's sides. He picked another rock up, as the adrenaline in his veins helped him to forget about his injury. Continuing the onslaught of rocks, twigs and mud, Flocke began begging silently that it would just go away.

Thankfully, it seemed to have a defeated look in its eyes.

* * *

Larimar screamed as the fox made a sudden move toward Flocke. "FLOCKE!" she shrieked, surprise, dread, and then sweet relief washing over her. Thankfully, he seemed alright and was still able to walk. She cast another stone, smacking it in the leg. It didn't yelp this time, just took another step back and watched them with careful eyes.

They were no danger to it, but at least it looked tired of fighting for a meal now. Her friends were still going strong with their defense. She noticed mud flying, too, and had a new idea. Using her wings and tail as well as her claws, she threw as many clumps of it as she could right at the fox's face. It was harder to aim mud, but she managed to blind it for a few seconds.

It was ready to turn back now. All it needed was a final push. Something to send it over the edge and drive it away from the prospect of ever hunting them again.

She remembered her little spring earlier. She'd gone pretty far for a little chick with small, delicate legs like her own. _I'm rather good at that._ Larimar teetered back and forth between the foolish idea and her own safety. Could she really try something so stupid? Wouldn't they be able to just keep throwing stuff at it until it got so annoyed it left? What was the point?

But her fierce loyalty to these other chicks gave her just enough rashness to proceed. She wanted to be like Lolly, who guided them and put herself before everyone, and Flocke, willing to risk his new, crazy ideas to save them all.

She wiggled around in the springy earth, her tail lashing back and forth to find the perfect place for balance. Her wings tensed, ready to spread, as did the muscles in her hindquarters. Her body awakened to new feelings, new yet strangely familiar sensations in her legs and brain that told her just what to do.

It was a bad jump. She didn't even feel it as she left the ground, her wings unfurled to look as threatening as possible, every inch of her flailing in a desperate attempt to look bigger. She shouted at the top of her lungs, falling short of the fox (and dangerously close to it). "HEY!"

Then everything went wrong.

Her front legs hit the ground at a weird angle, twisting her body as she tried to land on her feet. Larimar spread her left wing to try to catch herself, instead crushing it underneath her own weight and falling on her side. Her head hit the ground **hard** , sending vibrations up and down her thin skull. Everything snapped to black for a moment, her body too shocked to even feel pain. Everything was blurry when she opened her eyes.

She looked up, hoping it had been enough to scare him off. Hoping, hoping…

* * *

Lolly went into a rage when she fox lashed out. Shrieking so loudly that even her own ears hurt, she moved forward, throwing and kicking rocks as she went. It was clumsy and slow, but effective. The fox's ears flattened at the noise and it had simply had enough of the rock pelting. It looked hopefully at the chick it had wounded, but knew that for now, this was a lost cause. The little blue chick was a meal for another day...

The fox ran away, stopping to look back to see if it was still being pursued (or so Lolly presumed). Lolly stood her ground panting, eyes locked on the fox until she couldn't see him anymore. "We did...good!" she panted once she was certain it was gone. "Our moms...would be proud."

She turned back to her friends and walked to them, nuzzling them reassuringly and checking them for hurts. It didn't take long for her to find Flocke's leg wound. "Bad red. Does it hurt?" she cooed, then, for a reason she didn't understand, she began to preen him, cleaning the wound as best she could. _'Is this how a mama would clean it?'_ she wondered. It felt right. Still, the wound worried her even after she cleaned it. "You'll just have to be careful. You were wonderful. You both were." she said warmly, especially to Larimar. "You were both very brave."

* * *

Larimar stood up, looking ashamed as well as frightened. Several things had happened at once. Stunned by her fall, she hadn't even noticed when Lolly had scared the fox off. She had been as good as dead at its paws, unable to move or defend herself because of that messy landing. It was only the courageous puma chick's actions that had saved her from being chomped up as an easy lunch.

She felt like a coward. If not for Lolly, she could have died. _I should have been brave like her...but at least she saved us.  
_  
"Lolly!" she chirped. "Oh, Lolly...that was awesome! And brave! And awesome! The bravest thing I'll ever, ever see!" She rested her head on the dirty brown chick's back, pulling out some of the clumped up mud and dancing around Lolly in jubilation.

She began to feel a little better about herself. _Mom would be proud of me, I guess._ She stared at the two other griffins, and the fiery sense of love she felt for them once again overcame her. _My friends...don't do that again, me. I need to help them. I need to be a good friend back to them._ She smiled a little. They had survived. That was truly something to be proud of.

Adjusting her wing, she watched Lolly clean out Flocke's injury, hoping that the male chick would be okay. Her headache faded away in her happiness that they were alive and relatively unhurt.

* * *

"I was just doing what I promised I'd do when I met you guys." Lolly said with a shrug. "I said I was going to protect you. I'm not that good at it yet, though. It took all of us to drive that thing away. We're going to have to get bigger and stronger if we're ever going to be able to keep things like that away. That thing came here to look for something, and I think it was us." She swallowed hard, not liking what she was about to say.

"I think that more of those things will come here. They know there's something they want to eat here, and no mommies are here to protect us. We...we can't stay here." The idea of leaving beforehand had been crazy, but now that she knew there were things coming to them that would be looking for chicks to eat, she knew that a little den wouldn't save them anymore.

* * *

Larimar slowly nodded. "We'll have to let our moms find us themselves..." She took in a deep breath, trembling as she struggled to spit out the next part. "Or...O-or just live on our own. They're not here anymore, and if they all got lost...they may never find their way back home again."

After saying that, she truly felt that they were alone. And small. And unlearned in the ways of everything in the world. They were not meant to fight for themselves at this age. Luck was working against them. _But we're not helpless. We can fight our way through the world if we have to. If it's really us against everything else...then we just have to try.  
_

* * *

Flocke was in pain. Now that the adrenaline had left him, the pain in his leg was horrible. He sort of wanted to cry. Even worse, now the red stuff was coming out of him. He had seen the red stuff in Larimar's beak. He had known that you had to get hurt for it to come out. He just hadn't expected it to hurt so much...

When Lolly began cleaning his wound, he had grimaced. However, he didn't want to look weak, so he kept his beak shut. He didn't say anything, too afraid he'd sound like he was about to cry. Which he was. The moment the pain flooded in, he had laid down in the hopes that it would go away. It had let up a bit, but Lolly's cleaning brought the pain back.

He was so grateful when she stopped cleaning the wound and began preening his feathers. It felt nice, and made his spine shiver with a tickly feeling. For a moment, he was able to drown everything out. The sound of the forest, the smell of Bad Red Stuff, ((Blood now has an official name in the chick language. XD)) the pain in his thigh- all forgotten in his quick moment of piece. Then Lolly's beak disappeared from his feathers, and it all came back.

"Aww..." he sighed quietly. He started listening to the girl's conversation. He had missed half of it, but got the main idea. It was dangerous here, and they had to leave. Flocke didn't know if he'd be able to stand back up to do that... No, he had to. There was no way he'd let his friends down. They were right, after all. It was dangerous, and staying wouldn't help him. In fact, it would probably get him more hurt than now.

Slowly, he began to stand up. The pain spiked through his leg, up his spine and into his head so fast that it left him dazed. He collapsed for a moment, and began taking in a few deep breathes. 'It's just pain,' he thought to himself. 'No big deal. I just need to walk it off...' He knew he was wrong, but he didn't want to let his friends down. Talking in a deep breathe and holding it, he stood back up.

The pain was expected this time, so he was able to brace himself. However, it still hurt tremendously, and he found himself wanting to lay back down anyway. Shaking his head, he kept himself up. He thought about lifting his leg and keeping it tucked beneath his belly, but he decided against it. He didn't want to worry the girls.

Looking at them, Flocke frowned. They looked tired, and sad. Like him, they probably didn't want to leave. This was, in a strange way, technically their home. They hatched here, and even within 24 hours, so much had happened. Leaving sounded... scary.

Flocke thought about saying something inspirational, but who was he kidding? He couldn't do that. He wouldn't even know how to start. So, he did what he did best. He acted like Flocke.

"I bet we'll find something really cool in there!" he said happily, and motioning towards the nicest looking part of the forest. "Maybe we'll find more food! I am getting kind of hungry. We might find other griffins in there, and even better, maybe our moms are with them!" He knew the hope of finding their mothers was dwindling, but there was still a chance. And if not the same mother that had given him life, then maybe a new mother would want to take care of him.

That made him perk up mentally. A new mom... Maybe she'd take them all in. They could be siblings! It was a long shot, he knew. But hope was still hope, and it was something Flocke knew he had to cling onto for dear life. Even if he wasn't sure what exactly "hope" was yet.

* * *

It had been her idea, true, but hearing the agreements only made her want to cry, which was not an option. _We have to leave here. We can't stay. We can't ever come back...  
_  
 _No_ , she corrected herself. They could come back, one day. It would be a long time from now, and they would look different, but on that day they could return. This thought refilled her dwindling reserves and she was courageous protector Lolly once more.

"Sounds like a good plan. We'll have to find food and water once we get in, and hopefully the bad things will all be hunting here."

At the mention of water she remembered something. She scrambled into the den and dumped the remaining water from her shell and put it back on her head. It couldn't stay forever, but for as long as she could wear it, it was a token from home. She went to meet the others once more. "Whenever you guys are ready. I think we should go now, though. We don't know if those things have friends."

* * *

When Flocke saw the egg helmet on Lolly, it reminded him of something. Lifting his wing, he checked for something he had carefully tucked away the evening before. The white feather he had found was a bit muddy from his earlier antics, but somehow, still looked fine. When they found water, he'd clean it off. Along with himself and his wound. Making sure the feather was still secure beneath his wing, Flocke turned towards the girls. (ignoring any pain he felt at the slightest of movements)

"I'm ready to go!" he said in a happy tone. Truth was, he wasn't happy. He was tired, scared, hurt, and on the verge of crying. But he didn't. He kept up the, oh so convincing smile, and continued to laugh for his friends. Even though he was crying out on the inside…

* * *

"This way looks as good as any other," Larimar said, shrugging. She flicked her tail east, trying to peer through the trees. She couldn't see anything except forest, but it was like that all around them. The faintest trace of a smile appeared on her beak when she saw Lolly's egg-hat. Now she regretted eating that teal shard. It could have been the only thing she'd ever get to see from her brothers and sisters. _It can't be helped now.  
_  
Preening some dried mud out of her feathers, she waited to see if Flocke and Lolly agreed. She noticed her left wing was folding a little too far over the right, and did her best to straighten it up.


	13. - - Part I, Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Lolly nodded. "Alright...let's go then."

It was knowing that this was the best chance for protecting her friends that kept her feet moving. Everything else screamed a her to stay there. Chicks were supposed to stay in their nests and let their mothers do all the protecting and feeding and teaching. But since they didn't have that, they had Lolly, and Lolly had them. The trees seemed to get bigger if she stepped closer, and more than once she wanted to bolt into the den.

Tying to hide that she was trembling she put on her old determined face, this time with a huge smile. "Well, we'd better start moving. Don't want another thing to see us before we can get there." she said. "Come on, I'll lead the way." She didn't know how well Flocke would be able to walk, so she made a mental note to keep an eye on the both of her friends to make sure they weren't falling behind.

* * *

"Keep an eye out for food," Larimar told her. "I'm feeling all empty again." It was odd, since they'd just eaten yesterday, but as a growing chick, she needed a LOT of nourishment to keep her content. In addition to that, all the nutrients she'd absorbed from her egg had been used up by her activity. The hunger was no longer a dull hum, but sharp, very real, pangs in her tummy.

Now that the mud was drying, she felt all itchy and crumbly. It cemented her feathers together, hurting when she tried to pull it off with her claws. _No more mud games. Never again._ Only now did she become fully aware of how silly she looked in that shell of mud. She fell to the back of the line as she struggled to get it off.

* * *

Lolly couldn't spare an eye for food, as she had far too much else to watch for, with Flocke's injured leg and Larimar preening instead of looking where she was going. Her own hunger was starting to annoy her, too, and the nasty thoughts were popping up again.

"We just have to get away from the nests, then we can pick a place to come back and rest at after we look for food and water." she mumbled to herself, hoping the mantra would help keep her focused on her task. She didn't say much else as they entered the forest, but every so often she'd call out to her friends for a status update. She had no time to be amazed at the new surroundings, and she couldn't let herself get distracted by her own fear or hunger. She would leave that for later, when they got deep enough into the forest to be well clear of the nesting grounds, when they would go out to look for food, then she would marvel at the forest and its wonders. For now, she was on guard, and had to make sure her friends didn't get left behind.

"Keep up, Larimar, you're falling behind." she shouted, as they neared a large tree with big roots she tripped over a few times. "Be careful with these woody things! How's your leg, Flocke?"

* * *

"It's fine!" _No it's not..._ But he wasn't going to say anything. In fact, he's been completely quiet since entering the forest. He was too busy concentrating on not collapsing. The roots had given him a lot of trouble, but he did his best to act like it was nothing.

Every now and then, he'd look at his surrounding in the hopes of taking his mind off of his injury. He mainly looked for food and water. If he could find one or the other, it would give them an excuse to stop, and he desperately needed to stop.

He decided to look back at Larimar for a quick glance. She was trying to get the mud off her wings.

"Larimar," he said with a strained voice. Noticing it, he fixed it to his happy voice. "You don't need to get the mud off now. We'll find water and you can get it off then." Flocke squinted his eyes at her. "Larry? Why is your wing weird?"

* * *

"Huh?" She looked down, trying to keep her eyes off the mess she'd made in her feathers. "Uh, it was always like that," she lied. It wasn't hurting her unless she moved it, so she decided just to ignore it and focus on Flocke's more serious wound. The mud was irritating, but she knew they were right about staying on track. Grumbling, she raced to catch up.

* * *

Flocke tilted his head in confusion at Larimar. ' _No it wasn't._ ' he thought, thinking back to yesterday and that morning. Her wings had been like theirs. Maybe, like him, she didn't want to draw attention to herself. He could understand that, so he decided to let it go. He went back to looking around.

Suddenly, something small scurried under and past him. It was small, lengthy, with a long tail, and bright colorful skin. It startled Flocke so much that he yelped as he lifted his front legs to get away from it. Bad idea- the pain in his leg spread throughout his entire body within seconds. Quickly, he sat down and watched as the little creature ran into a shallow hole. The creature stuck its head out to look at him, and he glared at it. Then, forgetting the pain momentarily, he stalked over to it. The creature ducked back into its burrow, but Flocke decided to dig it out. Using his front claws (and his beak when there were hard clumps) he slowly made his way closer to the creature inside.

He could smell it now- right in front of his beak. He stuck his beak inside and searched for the creature. When he got a hold of it, he grinned as he pulled it out. However, it was motionless and limp in his beak for some reason. Confused, Flocke began shaking it a bit to wake it up. Then he began shaking it a lot. Just as he was about to give up, he tasted something. The creature tasted... good. And the smell was finally making it to his nose as well. ' _It's_ _the red stuff..._ ' he thought. More precisely, it was the _good_ red stuff.

Without even thinking about it, Flocke threw the creature in the air, caught it, and began swallowing it down whole. He gagged only once, seeing as he had never done it before, but it went smoothly after. Licking his beak, Flocke looked back up to the girls.

"That tasted great!" he said happily, as the pain in his leg slowly started coming back to him.

* * *

Lolly stopped to climb up onto a large root that rose up higher than the rest. She looked back towards the direction of the nesting ground. She could still see it through the trees, but it looked very small from here. They'd have to go further, but she decided that it was time to look for food.

"We're far enough away for now, I think. We'll make this tree our base for now and go look for some food." She didn't know how they were going to find it, since the food they'd first eaten had been left behind by a mother. Did food always lie around like that? Lolly wasn't so sure. The food had been full of red stuff, and red stuff seemed to come from things that moved around.

Her ear flicked at Flocke's words. "What tasted good, did you find food?"

* * *

"Yeah! It was a little long thing that ran under me. I dug it out of the hole it hid in and I ate it. It tasted yummy! It was moving when I saw it, but it stopped when I caught it..." he thought a bit about that. Why had it stopped moving? His thought process was cut off by the pain in his leg. Looking at the tree Lolly had claimed was their base, he walked over and laid down. He felt really weird...

"I'm sure there's more! I would have shared, but it was too small..." he said while keeping a straight face. He wanted so badly to go to sleep, but stayed awake anyway.

* * *

Lolly smiled, not as worried as she should have been about her friend's injuries, but out of ignorance instead of uncaring. "Thanks, Flocke. Larimar and I will look for more things like that. You rest here and I'll see about bringing you some more if I find extra. We won't go too far, but if you see something weird call for us, OK?"

She scanned the ground around the tree's roots and turned over rocks. She found a shiny black thing that scurried with six legs and gobbled it without a second thought but regretted it immediately. It could have been food, but it tasted like dirt, a taste she now knew all too well.

Luckily for her and the others it seemed that the creature Flocke had come upon lived in colonies, because if she was quiet for a while another would peer out of its hole and she would dive after it. She managed to catch two, one old and fat that was too slow, and one young and scrawny that was too inexperienced to know danger. She took her prizes back to the tree and sat by Flocke's side, eating the fat thing and keeping the skinnier one for whoever might need it, just in case they didn't find enough for everyone to eat their fill.

* * *

Larimar relied mostly on her keen vision and hearing in the hunt. She was starting to feel thirsty from getting all that mud out with her beak. Flocke had brought her attention to her wing, and she was starting to worry about that. At least her head was okay now.

She decided she wasn't going to try that leaping move again. It limited her hunting, but she wasn't going to risk another bad fall. A gurgling, rushing sound made her turn. It didn't sound like an animal. Curiosity got a hold of her, and she started moving in that direction.

Then a huge shadow passed over her. Larimar ducked with a scream, her wings instinctively going up to shield herself. The creature looked a little like a griffin, but it only had two legs and no fur. The eagle didn't even notice her, flying out of sight with a fish clutched in its dangerous talons.

After that, she watched more closely for big, mean things that could hurt her. She saw a long, scaly thing like the animal Flocke ate scamper by. Excited, she chased after it in a mad flurry of leg and wing, but it was much to fast for her and soon escaped into the shadows.

Larimar continued toward that odd, wet sound. It turned out to be a small brook. _Water!_ Larimar realized. She took a long, slow drink from it and started splashing around to get the mud off her. It washed off with some scrubbing, relieving her of that horrid, scratchy feeling. "YAY!" she chirped with delight.

She froze when another animal's footsteps approached her. Sinking down into the water as far as she could, she turned her head. Her heart immediately stopped. The familiar smell entered her cere, and dread pulsed through her. _Another fox! I'm dead...no, no, no...  
_  
But the fox didn't seemed interested in the chick. Her eyes drifted down its long, white muzzle, and she saw a small, half-eaten animal hanging from it, covered in red. The fox dug a small hole by the creek and set its meal down. It glanced at Larimar before trotting away, thankfully full from its earlier meal of rabbit.

Larimar's eyes gleamed as she climbed back up onto land. She started to dig up the cache once the fox was out of sight. Only a few scraps were left, but it was enough for the chick.


	14. - - Part I, Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

As Flocke rested by the tree, he watched his two friends as they tried to find food. When Lolly came back with two of the small lengthy things and sat down next to him, Flocke snuggled up against her side. The mud sticking to their feathers made her fluff rough instead of soft, however, he stayed anyway. He was searching for social comfort, not physical comfort.

He saw Larimar wander off, and worried for a moment. However, he was too tired to go after her. ' _she'll be fine._ ' he thought. Then he heard her yelp.

Before Lolly even had the chance to get up, he was dashing through the trees after his friend, and ignoring the burning pain throughout his body. He had to hide once, when he saw a fox trotting towards him, but then he kept going; faster than before. The fox worried him to no end. It had that red stuff on its muzzle, and Flocke had the terrifying idea that it _might_ be Larimar's.

However, when he broke through the tree line, he was very relieved to see his friend eating next to...

"Water!" he cried out happily, and completely forgetting what had just happened. He trotted over to it and began drinking. He hadn't known how thirsty he was until he took that first gulp. It was pure bliss. He limped into the stream when he was done drinking and began cleaning himself off of mud. When he was done with that, he gently took the white feather from his wing and began cleaning that off as well. When he was done, it looked as good as new.

He climbed back out of the water, and walked over to Larimar. As he did, he remembered what had happened.

"Larimar! Are you okay? I heard you yelp, and I saw a creature like the one we fought before! It had that red stuff on it... I thought, that maybe, it might have been..." he didn't want to say it. He didn't want to think about whatever it was the fox was could have done to Larimar. It scared him to think he could have lost another friend.

"You are okay, right?"

* * *

Lolly stretched out her wings and flopped on her side, deciding whether or not to eat the scrawny morsel she'd caught since her stomach was still rumbling.

"How much further should we go?" she asked aloud to no one in particular, "Do we start looking for other griffins or do we look for a new home? Or do we just wander around?" She slumped her forelegs over a root and rested her head on her paws. She looked at her tiny talons and wondered how they would change as she grew older and if they'd ever make her strong enough to take on bad things like the furry beast with the sharp mouth-growths. A world where she always had to fight wasn't a world she wanted to live in. She would fight if she had to, true, but only to protect her friends until they could find a safe place to call home, a safe place that wouldn't exist for them unless they found an adult griffin or grew up themselves.

Because her attention span wasn't that long, though, she quickly got distracted by a passing butterfly whose orange wings were the most beautiful thing Lolly had seen besides the broken gem and her eggshell helmet. She pawed at it playfully even though it was far out of reach and watched it land on a branch high above her. She leapt into the air, flapping her wings frantically as though she could somehow fly up and catch it with her baby wings.

She didn't notice that Flocke had bolted, nor did she hear Larimar's yelp until she had finally calmed down after her little game and turned to see that Flocke wasn't where he had been. Because her friends' coats were so bright, it didn't take long for her to find them so she didn't panic too much. She tumbled down the hill after them, nearly falling into the brook. "Is everything alright? She asked, feeling very stupid for her earlier goofing off. "I see you found water! I can wash this mud off now." she said as she did so carefully, hoping not to draw attention to the fact that she'd let her guard down. "Oh, I have an extra bit of food back at the tree if anyone wants it."

* * *

Larimar grinned. "Better than just okay!" She wiggled her tail. "Look, I'm clean again!" She quickly kicked the loose dirt back over the cache and presented Flocke with a few of the bones. "That fox left some food here."

She patted down the loose dirt as she spoke to him, hiding the rest of the meat. Larimar was surprised by the sudden burst of greed that drove her to try and save it for herself. She knew it wasn't right, but Flocke had already eaten, and she wasn't _necessarily_ saving it all for herself. The other chicks might gobble it up right away. She knew better. She was saving it to share later...yeah.

* * *

"That's great!" Flocke said as he eyed the food. However, for some strange reason, he didn't feel hungry. The only thing he'd eaten that day was a lizard, so he should have been starving. But he wasn't. In fact, he almost wished he hadn't eaten the lizard. He felt weird because of it. His throat felt tight, and his belly was felt really bad. His head was sort of dizzy, yet it wasn't dizzy exactly. It was something else that he couldn't quite explain.

"I think I'm gonna go lay down..." he said with a calm smile. As weird as he felt, he didn't want the girls to know. He was lying in the shade of a tree when Lolly finally made it. He would have laughed kindly at her when she nearly fell into the stream, but couldn't find the energy.

"Everything's fine." he said quietly; unsure if the others even heard him. "I might want the food when I wake up." He was drifting off, when his leg sent a wave of horrible pain through him. "Aah!" he yelped. That had been the worst one, and couldn't help the cry of pain. Looking down at his thigh, he gasped in horror. It was so much worse than before...

The wound itself had sort of stopped bleeding and was scabbing. However, under the scab it was horribly red and inflated. Had Flocke been more educated, he would have known that the injury was very infected. Even the thigh was swollen to three times its normal size, which made the injury look bigger than it had been before.

Flocke whimpered in terror and pain, as a sudden wave of that strange dizziness came over him. All of it combined made him do something that he would forever _hate_. He threw up. Then, he passed out.

* * *

Larimar backed away from the throw-up, her eyes widening. Its putrid smell nearly made her pass out too. She spotted little bits of stuff they'd eaten earlier in the day, but it didn't look like food at all. Her first thought was _What happened to that food? Why is coming back up?_ Her second was a bit more focused. _What's wrong with him?!  
_  
"Flocke! Flocke!" she cried. It probably wasn't appropriate, but she grabbed his neck and started shaking him. Maybe he was tired? "Flocke, get up! Don't fall asleep, Flocke!" She spotted red...bad red...somewhere on him and flipped him over to see what had happened with the fox wound.

"Ewww!" It didn't smell all fresh and metallic like blood was suppose to. Most of it looked hard and dry to Larimar, but the most awful smell was coming from it all. She didn't know what to make of it, really.

"Lolly! Lolly, help! What's wrong with his leg? Why's he sleeping?! Lolly, what do I do?!" She'd already started relying on Lolly as a sort of mother. _She's got to know how to help!_

* * *

Lolly had just cleaned the last of the mud off of her down when she heard Larimar's cry. She ran up the hill to see what was wrong and felt like she'd been stabbed clean through when she saw Flocke, the vomit, and panicking Larimar.

"Wh-What happened?!" she cried, pacing around Flocke. "What-" her words cut off when she saw the wound. It looked redder than it had, and it smelled off. She touched Flocke gently. He was hotter than anything she'd ever felt, and not in a good way.

"Flocke...FLOCKE!" she cried, shaking him gently, but simply couldn't rouse him. "Water...Water is cool, we should wet him with water so he isn't so hot!" As soon as she said this, she ran down to the brook and filled her eggshell with cool water. However, as she tried to carry it up, it tipped and spilled. She simply couldn't carry the eggshell full of water up on her own.

"Larimar, help me get this eggshell full of water up the hill so we can cool him off!" she called as she filled the eggshell once more.

* * *

Larimar nodded. She helped Lolly keep it balanced with her beak as they went up to Flocke. How slow she had to be to keep from spilling it was painful. "Do you know why he could have done this?" she asked the other female chick. "He just...fell asleep. Just like that!"

She started to head back to get more water. Then she came up with another idea and scrambled back toward Flocke. "Why don't we try to get him into the creek?" she asked, cringing as she felt how warm he was. She batted her wings, ignoring how sore it made her left one, to cool him off.

* * *

While the girls panicked and tried to help him, Flocke himself was stuck deep in sleep. He felt hot, in pain and just down right disgusting. Not to mention he was having a nightmare that he couldn't wake up from.

He couldn't really make sense of the dream, but it was the feeling all the blurred images brought that made him terrified. Everything was either red or black, and scary creatures with scorching red eyes or piercing sharp mouth-growths were stalking him from the very edges of the shadows. Their muzzles and beaks were all covered and dripping with red stuff as they eyed him hungrily.

Instinctively, Flocke reached out for something to protect himself, but found nothing. He was alone in the darkness, without a single way of protecting himself. The monsters were getting closer and closer, and Flocke truly feared that this was the end of him. But the worst part was that no one was there to see him go. He'd disappear into non-existence, just like Rourke did. No one to see him go, no one to know how he disappeared- just forgotten. Flocke didn't want to be forgotten. He didn't want his friends to forget him. He didn't want to die alone. Flocke wanted to _live_. Even though he didn't know the difference between life and death yet, Flocke wanted to survive.

All the stress was too much for his fragile chick mind, (He's just a baby! D'X) and before he could stop himself, he puked what was left of his stomach. That included a good amount of stomach bile. It passes through his beak and nose, and burned his throat. The acid was relentless on his nostrils, and caused more pain than he wanted to live through. Wasn't the pain in his thigh enough? Flocke just wanted to wake up!

* * *

Lolly shook her head. "No, we'd have to drag him all the way up hill again, and besides, things might come to drink there and if he's not waking up we can't protect him." She gently poured the water on his head, or as gently as she could at least, and gently fanned him with her wings. She winced when the bile came up, and cleaned him off as best as she could.

"He's cooling off, but he isn't waking up...and he's still pretty warm." Lolly sighed. "I don't know what to do. What would a mom do?!" She very nearly burst into tears, but kept her wits together somehow.

She stared at the wound, at the vomit, at Flocke's limp form. She had no instincts for something like this, there was nothing to scare away or fight. Whatever was hurting Flock was inside him, so the only one who could fight it was Flocke himself. "Flocke is fighting something that the bad thing put in him, so we have to make sure he stays strong enough to fight it."

Suddenly determined, she picked up the thing she'd hunted earlier and lay it beside him. Once he stopped throwing up,he needed to have food in his body. "Larimar, we should get him some water to drink this time. Maybe it will wash out his insides like it washed out outsides."

* * *

The green chick went around Flocke, looking for something, anything, that could help. She grabbed a leaf to fan him with, but soon decided her wings worked better. "What if it's in us, too?" she sobbed. She felt stupid for crying-for feeling afraid of some puke. "We need some way to get that icky stink out."

She couldn't ponder over that now. _One step at a time_ , she told herself. She liked Lolly's suggestion, even if the bigger problem might be all that red. There wasn't anything else to carry water in, so she went down ahead of Lolly and the eggshell to look.


	15. - - Part I, Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"I don't think it's in us, the thing didn't hurt us like Flocke." Lolly said, putting on her eggshell and following Larimar to the brook again. "And hopefully the water will take care of the icky stink, inside and out."

Lolly didn't fill the eggshell all the way this time, since it was unlikely Flocke would be able to keep much water down. She also found some long reeds growing by the brook that gave her an idea.

"Hey, Larimar, do you think if we cleaned his hurt off really good and then wrapped his leg with these it would help?" she asked as she pulled a few reeds up.

* * *

Larimar tugged on a few of the long plants. "Maybe. Try not to make it bleed more, though." She trusted Lolly more with cleaning the scratch than she trusted herself. She wondered what Flocke was thinking right now, if he was thinking anything at all. It must have felt awful to have all that food they'd worked so hard to get coming out.

She dipped a leaf in the water a few times and went back to Flocke. All the water dripped out, but she laid it down across leg anyway to cool it off.

* * *

Lolly was able to bring up her eggshell this time, and tucked a few reeds under her wings. She pulled back Larimar's leaf and cleaned the wound out one more time, shuddering at the taste in her mouth but pressing on for her friend's sake. After gently replacing the leaf she wrapped the reeds around Flocke's wounded leg, though it wasn't secured because she had no idea how to do so. It would keep the wound clean, at very least, and Lolly decided that they would have to clean the wound a few times each day.

"Thank you for your help, Larimar. I don't think I could do this without you. Do you need anything?" Lolly asked, suddenly feeling very small and very tired.

* * *

"I...I'm fine," she replied, her eyes fixed on Flocke. "I hope he'll be okay, Lolly..." She sat down slowly, her legs sore from running back and forth. Her eyes were getting tired as they had last night. She looked up and saw the sky had been stained red. Not red like blood or an inflamed wound yet, but a bright, fiery red surrounded by lavender and gold. There weren't any stars yet, but she knew the day was starting to come to an end.

Looking up at Lolly, she tried to forget all their problems and worries for a second. Larimar could scarcely believe she was only two days old. She'd learned so much about the dangerous world. Perhaps life was better in that dark egg, with no friends, enemies, or troubles, but there was no going back.

She yawned. "Why don't you sleep a little? I can watch Flocke and make sure...make sure it doesn't get worse."

* * *

Lolly wanted to say no, but she knew it was no use. She settled beside Flocke, resting her head next to his. "Wake me up if you get sleepy...and if there's trouble." she said with a yawn. Still, though she was laying down she wasn't falling asleep, her mind too full of worry to settle down.

"Larimar, do you remember your mother?" she asked, hoping to get her mind off of the still too warm chick beside her. "What she sounded like, I mean. I don't remember mine. Not too well. She was quiet." She sighed. "I wish I knew what she looked like."

* * *

"Well," Larimar thought back to her days as a green egg. _How odd! I can't remember much...just a few days before she left._ "It was sort of soft, I guess, and muffled by the shell, but it was really pretty, too. She always sounded...nice, and big, but not dangerous." She closed her eyes for a few moments. There wasn't any more to recollect. It made her sad, knowing she'd never know anything about her mother beyond the sound of her voice.

"I wish I knew my mom, too. I bet she was really pretty, and smart, and...and...I bet she loved me. She would have loved you and Flocke, too. I hope she's not looking for me."

* * *

"Yeah...me too." Lolly sighed. It was a strange thing to admit, but when she thought about it Lolly decided it was better that way. Though she'd give the world for one of the flock to find them and bring them to their mothers, she also hoped that their mothers weren't scouring the nests for them and thinking the worst when they had just decided to leave that morning.

Her stomach clenched at the thought that they'd just missed their mothers, and that Flocke could be in a mother's competent care, but she hadn't seen or heard other griffins, so perhaps the moms weren't coming back ever.

"I guess if I thought my babies were gone forever I'd want to leave the place they used to be, too." Lolly replied. "I'd never want to see a place where I thought my babies had been eaten and where there was a lot of my friends' bad red stuff all over the place." She looked at Flocke. What would she do if he went all still like the little creatures they ate? What would Larimar do? This conversation wasn't helping her to stop worrying, but she was at least getting sleepier.

* * *

Flocke, finally, had a moment of piece. He had just enough energy to wake up from the nightmares that plagued his head. His eyes squinted open, and through blurry pupils, he could just make out an lime colored chick.

"Larry?" he said with a hoarse voice, through a sticky beak and a horrible taste on his tongue. It was extremely quiet, but he still hoped she heard him.

His leg seemed less painful than before, however, it seemed to have replaced itself in his head. His stomach still felt weird, but the nausea wasn't as bad as before. He suddenly realized how thirsty he was.

"Water." It was more a polite demand than a request. He scolded himself for a moment, but then decided he felt too horrible to care.

As he waited and hoped for the fresh sense of water running down his throat, Flocke began to realize that his bleary eyes were beginning to close again. He was exhausted from all the puking, and while it was letting up, he was still feeling the after effects.

His eyes closed as he crept into a half-sleep. He could still make out certain sounds and senses that he would remember later, but his mind was making him rest in a dreamless sleep. He was thankful for it.

* * *

(Meanwhile, on the other side of the meadow where the main trio hatched...)

Gladiolus was a large chick. If you asked his sister, she'd say that he grew so big within his egg that he exploded out of it, because it just couldn't keep him inside. He would sneer at the thought, saying she was an idiot. He hatched just like any other normal chick. She would say sorry, then duck her head in embarrassment.

When the two hatched, they had been completely and utterly alone. The humans hadn't even tried to hide their mother's body, not that they knew what humans were yet. So the chicks were able to see their dead mother, and any hope that she'd protect them dwindled before it even had a chance to begin.

Gladiolus had hatched about two minutes before Tulip, making him the elder. Which was a good thing. He didn't want to be the "little" brother. He was bigger, therefore, he deserved to be older. Tulip didn't care. As long as her brother was happy, she was happy. After all, he was her only protector now.

Even when he came back with the bloodied corpse of another griffin chick, she had turned her head the other way, and had eaten it silently. She hadn't liked it. She knew deep down that it was wrong, but she wanted so badly for her brother to accept her. He was the only thing she had now. If keeping on his good side meant eating another chick he'd killed, then so be it.

The two had caught onto the killed or be killed lesson early on. After all, waking to a dead mother clues you in pretty fast. They didn't have a word for it yet, but they still knew what it was. Gladiolus had been the first one to realize that he could kill other creatures to eat them. It started with a small lizard. Then a rabbit, and finally a lone chick that had hatched near their side of the forest. It had wandered in, in the hopes of finding others. Instead, it was met with a large, fire red, chick with a hungry look in his gaze.

Tulip knew her brother had something wrong with him. There was just something... off, about his presence. When he told her to eat the chick, she had nearly said no. The bad smell was strong, clearly telling her that eating this was wrong. The other two things they ate had smelled good. However, her brother's intense gaze helped her come to the decision to eat the dead griffin chick. No matter how badly she felt about it.

It was evening of their second day. Gladiolus had decided it was time to move himself and his sister somewhere safer. Before they left, he searched the meadow for some left over food. He could smell that there had been some other chicks there recently- earlier that day. He followed the scent in the hopes of a hunt when a different scent caught his attention. It wasn't as fresh, but if he was right, it would be easier than hunting from a group of living chicks. Following the trail, he came to a dense spot near some bushes and a large tree.

Looking up, Gladiolus could see the eyes of a creature that was maybe just as big as him. It had a mask on its face, and rings on its fluffy tail. Gladiolus puffed up, daring the animal to attack him. The raccoon knew better than to pick a fight with this chick. He escaped into his hollow, and waited for Gladiolus to leave. Said chick looked around. The scent was strong here.

Then, his eyes saw it. The half eaten carcass of another griffin chick. He could barely make out the original color of its feathers through the blood all over it.

Blue...

With a triumphant grin, Gladiolus began pulling the carcass back to his sister. They would eat, and then they would head off in the opposite direction of the other chicks he had sensed earlier. Those chicks were a meal for another day…

* * *

Lolly jumped up as soon as she heard Flocke's voice. She propped up his head so that Larimar could tip water into his mouth and made sure it went down his throat. He was unconscious again, but he'd woken up just in time. She wasn't sure if they should try the food as well, but decided that they'd wait to see if he could hold down the water first.

Now relieved, she too felt exhaustion flow over her. "He's going to be fine, I just know it." she smiled. "He's strong like me, even if he's small. I don't know if I could fight something that was inside me like this."

She curled up around the blue chick again, this time definitely going to sleep. "Wake me up before you fall asleep, OK?" she reminded Larimar. "I'm really tired right now, but I'll take over when you're too tired to."

* * *

"Don't worry," Larimar told the brown chick. She was much too excited to fall asleep, anyway. _Flocke woke up! Maybe he'll get better soon! And then we can...we can...we can go find more food._ She wondered where they were heading after this. They didn't really have anywhere to go. Would they just keep on traveling? Or could this place be their home? The thought of a home thrilled her, tempting her into sweet dreams of her future, her mother, her friends...

 _No, come on. Gotta stay awake, Larimar._ Lolly had been watching over them since they'd met. She deserved some rest while Larimar did the job for once.


	16. - Book 1, Part II (Chick Stage B)

**Chicks of Destiny**  
 **Book 1**

* * *

PART II:

CHICK STAGE B

* * *

In which our young protagonists struggle on,  
facing many trials,  
meeting new friends and making new discoveries,  
not all of which are pleasant.


	17. - - Part II, Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

As soon as Larimar agreed, Lolly put her head down and was fast asleep. She huddled close to Flocke, snoring little chick snores her mother would have found simply adorable.

Her dreams were nothing extraordinary; simple ones about Flocke playing with them, alive and well, Larimar finding out how to fly, Teaching Roarke how to hunt. It was just what she needed, though waking up would be a bit unpleasant with harsh reality compared to dream world, Lolly would be ready to face it whenever she needed to.

* * *

The faint light of an approaching dawn snapped Larimar out of her fuzzy half-sleep. Her body jolted when she remembered everything. Her blissful forgetfulness left her, and she was suddenly wide awake. _Flocke. Hurt. Sick._ She looked over to Lolly and Flocke, feeling a little guilty that she's almost fallen asleep on them. It was more of just drifting away than actually dozing off, but it had been her duty to wake up Lolly so they wouldn't be caught unguarded.

 _Well, they don't know that_ , she thought. _We're all still alive. Who cares?_ The day was still being born; the sun not even visible over the hilly horizon. Larimar stretched her legs and wings in unison, her eyes and senses slowly adjusting. She walked around her friends. A small smile flashed across her little orange beak. She wasn't eager to face the new day, but at least she wasn't going to be facing it alone.

She went a small ways down the hill, blinking and yawning and tripping every few feet. It took her a few moments to spot the fresh dirt where the cache was buried. She greedily dug it up. _Ugh, I'm getting all dirty again!_ Mud from the riverbank got on her forelegs and breast. It was worth it, though, when the aroma of food started coming up through the silt. She gobbled down most of the good stuff, leaving some gristle, some tough meat, and the bones.

Larimar stopped herself before she devoured it all. _Remember what you saved this for. Flocke and Lolly will be up soon. I'll give them the rest of this if there isn't any more food._ Content with her generosity (and bulging tummy) she reburied it and went to the water to clean herself.

* * *

Skah flitted between the trees along the creek bank staying out of sight. His dark fur was perfect for hiding in the shadows. A slight rustle behind him signaled the presence of Ghost. Similarly she was covered in dark brown fur that allowed them to travel almost invisibly through the forest. He paused looking down the small bank, watching the water moving by, thirsty. The pair had been awake for a few hours now and both were rather thirsty from their hard trek through the forest.

Ghost was also watching the creek , but further along the waters edge on the opposite bank at, something. It was bright green in colour. She quietly moved alongside Skah and whispered, "Look, it's a chick". Instantly Skah swung his gaze to where she indicated. He was similarly surprised at the sight of a bright green ball of fur. The chick was so easy to spot. Skah surveyed the situation for a moment more before muttering back, "She mustn't be alone. There must be more griffins around here".

His first thought was positive, strength in numbers, but then it occurred to him that there might be adult griffins around. Adults wouldn't be very happy about additional mouths to feed. Reaching a decision he shared his thoughts with Ghost. "We follow her from a distance and see where she goes".

Ghost had reached a similar conclusion, but had waited for Skah's opinion first, allowing his voice to be the lead. _It is good for him to feel in control_ she thought to herself.

Having reached a decision the pair of cubs slipped with effortless stealth down the creek bank and among the rocks. They were lucky that the wind was against them so that the other cub wouldn't be able to smell them coming. The creek was not deep at this point and they were able to hop across on dry rocks. With both of them now on the same side of the creek as the green cub they slinked up into the treeline still watching their quarry.

* * *

What started out as the simple task of making herself look decent soon became an opportunity for fun. Larimar may have sworn off messy games, but now she was playing _and_ getting clean. She danced around, giggling at the big splashes and tiny ripples she could make by throwing herself at the water. All her fears and hopes and responsibilities left her. She didn't have to follow her friends or watch their backs now. The beauty of the world came in, and a great appreciation for it struck her. Yes, it was dangerous, but perhaps everything pretty was like that.

The epiphany quickly left, replaced with the childish curiosity Larimar was always full of. "Ooh, what's that?!" Her emerald green eyes widened. Little creatures! New creatures...that weren't dangerous! They moved through the water with even more grace than the birds she'd seen flying through air. She blinked, and they were in different places. They shined when they moved, their skin reflecting the light for some reason. Larimar knew immediately that she had to grab them. Why? They were shiny. That meant they HAD to be touched.

She tried again and again to wrap her little claws around one. Every time, they slipped right out or weren't even where she'd been aiming. She slowly wandered farther and farther from her friends, too caught up in her game of fishing to notice.

* * *

Ghost stifled a smile as she watched the green cub playing in the water. She guessed from the actions then cub was doing that it was trying to catch something. She glanced sideways at Skah. He was watching the cub as well, not smiling but is usually unemotional face was relaxed in a way. Noting the expression on his face , Ghost decided to take a gamble. "Lets go down there Skah".

Skah's face instantly regained its normal composure and he looked at her straight in the eyes. "We may get ourselves into something more that we are already you know".

Anticipating his words she already had a reply for him, "Do you think if there was adult griffins around that the cub would be alone?"

Skah had already considered this and had come to a conclusion that he hadn't shared with Ghost. She watched his face as _that_ gleam formed in his eyes. A toothless smile spread her beak, she knew already that they would be meeting the cub.

Ghost decided to take the lead, knowing that she would be better at reassuring the cub that they meant no harm. She bounded down the small embankment towards the waters edge. Skah followed her in a lightly more restrained manner. Ghost promptly stopped a short way from the green cub, confidently announcing herself, "Hello, what's your name?"

* * *

Larimar scrambled backwards, landing on her rear in the water and scaring away all of those shiny animals. Her beak clacked a few times. No sound came out; she was just simply too stunned and frightened to speak. At first she was embarrassed that they'd seen her going crazy about the fish, then she realized she had no idea who these griffins were at all.

"Uh...uh...Larry." Her brain shut down and she became very warm when she heard herself. "Larimar! I mean Larimar! I'm Larimar." She made herself calm down. Straightening her back and putting on a blank expression, she added, "Who are you two?"

* * *

Ghost smiled as the female cub stumbled about clearly somewhat shocked about their appearance. She continued the effort of being as unthreatening as possible, hoping that Skah was doing the same. "Larimar, my name is Ghost and my companion is Matoskah, but I call him Skah". Ghost spoke as calmly as possible trying to reassure the cub who was clearly frightened.

Skah was thinking on more practical terms. the female was visually smaller than Ghost, she was obviously several days younger. Somewhat condescendingly he tought to himself, _great a hatchling, she won't be of much help._ He stepped forward and found a patch of dry land and sat down abruptly, a vacant expression on his face, and expression that Ghost woudl immediately identify as his 'thinking' expression.

But she was busy with the new cub, "Are you alone Larimar?"

* * *

"No." Larimar still wasn't sure about them, so she kept her reply at that. Her eyes drifted over to the cache, which wasn't far away from where Skah was sitting. While she probably should have been thinking of her friends, all she could focus on was keeping that food for herself. She looked back at Ghost. The brown chick sounded alright, and the other one hadn't done anything threatening. Ghost's color reminded Larimar of Lolly, lulling the chick into a false sense of security. "Where are _your_ parents?"

* * *

Ghost watched Larimar's gaze drift across the ground near Skah. _She's hiding something_ was her first thought. _Let her keep her secrets, we don't even know her yet._

The mention of parents sent a pang of hatred and sadness through her heart. "The humans got our mothers" she almost snarled, realising too late that this would probably ruin the unthreatening air she had concentrated so much effort on. With some energy she reigned in her anger and explained their situation a bit better. "See Skah and I come from a flock many days walk away from here. The flock was only a small group of wild hens that were attacked by the humans. All of the eggs were destroyed and our mothers were either killed or chased off. Skah's mother is definitely dead, but mine we aren't completely sure about. Skah had already hatched before the humans arrived you see. His mother managed to hide him amongst some rocks a small way from the actual nest. She also saved me by placing my egg with him". She finished her tale somberly, she was grateful to Skah's mum who had somehow managed to hide both a chick and a neighbouring hens egg well enough that they weren't found.

* * *

"Oh." Larimar decided it wasn't a good idea to go fishing for pity by saying 'Hey, that just happened to me, too!' Skah and Ghost looked older than her. _So there's hope for mommy-less chicks like us to survive._ She wondered if her mother could still be alive, too. She'd been so certain of it before, but the way Ghost spoke of life and death...was death what had happened to her mother? Was that what losing her was called? Larimar had a feeling it was different than that. The solemnness of "not alive" was too much, and she just couldn't ask the other griffin what it was.

"I have a few friends," she said, opening up to them now that she knew an angry parent wasn't following the two chicks. "One of them is really warm and sick. Can you help us?"


	18. - - Part II, Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Ghost didn't notice Larimar lost in thought too wrapped up in her own sorrows. She was happy to hear that there were more friends around but her thought quickly turned to curious concern. "Warm you say? Like really warm? You know that we are supposed to be warm don't you?" Skah broke in then with a strange expression on his face, "Yes we already know that we are supposed to be warm, when we go cold its bad, that's what my mother did before she stopped responding". Ghost looked at Skah in astonishment. SHe hadn't known that Skah had been with his mother before she died. _Why didn't you tell me_ she wondered to herself, but that conversation was for when they were alone again.

* * *

"More than normal warm," Larimar replied. "Really, really hot, and this scratch he got with red stuff coming out of it was all...gross and puffed up." She was about to go into more disgusting detail when she noticed Ghost's odd glance at Skah. It drew her attention to the male chick's words. They scared her when she thought about them.

"What do you mean, stopped responding? Is that...is that dying?" _Dying_. It sent shivers down her spine for some reason. She didn't understand what he meant. Why would anyone stop responding to their baby? It wasn't right, it wasn't what a griffin was suppose to do "What is dying?" If Flocke went cold...if he did what Matoskah's mother had done…

* * *

Skah felt Ghost's eyes linger on him and felt guilty immediately for hiding the truth from her. He had spoken with his mother for a time before she had died and then Ghost had hatched. His mother, he never said her name, had hurriedly told him as much as she could hoping that her young chick would understand everything.

He looked straight at Larimar, into her eyes as was his way forcing his knowledge and will onto the chick. "My mother was injured seriously by the humans. The red stuff is called blood, the whole thing is called an injury. My mother had lots of blood everywhere. One moment she was telling me things saying that it wouldn't be long now and then she went quiet."

His eyes had gone glassy and distant looking before he uttered in a small voice, "She never said anything else to me. I waited, and waited, but nothing. I sat between her legs as I always did where she was warm and comfortable. But she was cold and sticky from blood".

Ghost watched Skah as he related completely new events to them. Suddenly she knew why Skah knew what to do, the knowledge his mother had given him was what made him seem to be so smart.

* * *

' _I'm hungry_ **.** ' It was the first thing Flocke thought of as he began to fully awaken. He noticed, too, that the nausea was weaker than before, and that his pain was, instead of excruciating, mild and only came in bursts. His headache was gone and the throbbing in his thigh was calmer. In all, he felt exceptionally better. However, something told him he should continue to rest. Just because he felt better, didn't mean he was. Whatever was inside him could be tricking him into thinking he was better, only for him to get worse again.

Flocke opened his groggy eyes to face the world. What would he find? The memories of his nightmares came back to him, though they were vague. Something about losing his friends? Definitely. He didn't want to lose them. They were all he had. Where were they?

Quickly, he surveyed the area. His head throbbed twice from the sudden movement, so he took care to stay calm after that. Lolly was sleeping beside him. Okay, that was good. Relief flushed over him, but it only lasted a few seconds. Looking everywhere else, he noticed that Larimar was missing. Panic overcame the small chick and his heart began to beat faster. Where was she?! Did the monsters from his dream get her? Did they come to life while Flocke slept, and eat her?! Was it _his_ fault?

"Lar?" he called quietly. His voice cracked from lack of use and a tight throat born from fear. He knew she wouldn't have heard it, even if she were a few feet away. "Larimar?" he called a bit louder. His voice was still rough, but it was better. When no one answered his call, fear truly took hold of him. "Larimar!" he cried loud and clear. A bird flew away in shock, while the rest of the forest seemed to quiet further.

With tears beginning to fall, and his body starting to shake, Flocke waited for his friend's reply. He seemed to have forgotten that Lolly had been sleeping next to him.

* * *

Lolly groaned awake, blinking blearily around. "Flocke? You awake?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "That's good." she answered herself, not seeming to make the connection. She sat up stiffly, stretching out a few aches and smiling at nothing in particular.

Then she made the connection.

"FLOCKE! You're awake!" she shrieked, nearly pouncing on him in relief. "You're cooler and you smell better, too! Do you want food? Water? Anything? Larimar, we need to get- Where's Larimar?"

She looked around for the green chick. "She was supposed to wake me up if somethign happened! Where did she get off to?!" She stomped off in the direction of her scent, which was close by and still fresh so even a young chick like Lolly could track her. "I guess you can come, Flocke, if you're feeling well enough." she said to the blue chick, "But if you're not I'll be back soon. Maybe with some food!"

* * *

"So dying is...dying is going away...from life?" It was a hard lesson for a chick as young as Larimar to learn, but one she and every other griffin had to face. She now knew why red stuff was so bad. Either blood meant death, or death meant blood. She thought about the bugs Lolly had killed, that scaly thing Flocke caught, and the bloody rabbits they'd eaten. _It doesn't just happen to little stuff, then. It can happen to moms and chicks, too.  
_  
Before she could really let the horror of that set in, she heard a familiar voice. "Flocke! He's up!" Larimar leaped up. Her little wings buzzed excitedly. "Lolly! Flocke!" She spun around, making a great deal of noise, and gaze Skah and Ghost one last look before running toward her friend.

She spotted Lolly not too far away. _Why's she over there? Oh no! I must have went too far downstream!_ "Lolly!" she called. "I'm over here!"

* * *

Lolly perked her ears at Larimar's voice. She ran towards her friend, smiling bigger than she ever had. "Larimar! Flocke's awake! Flocke's awake and he feels better and-" she froze when she spotted the strange chicks. "Oh...hello! Who are you? I'm Lolly, and I protect Larimar and Flocke. Where did you come from? Are there mommies nearby?! Can we go see them?" Judging by their faces, though, Lolly knew they were probably lost like she and her friends were.

She looked at Larimar and the chicks curiously. "So...are you going to join our group? I'll protect you guys too, I'm big and strong, so if you join us I'll be your sort-of mommy." It didn't occur to her that the question might be a bit rushed for some chicks she just met, but she was innately trusting and eager to get to know the new chicks.

* * *

Flocke considered following Lolly, but was extremely hesitant. On one hand, he knew he needed to stay sat, on the other however, he didn't want to be left alone. Not after all those nightmares...

He slowly lifted himself and followed Lolly in search of Larimar. He fell a little behind, and had trouble catching up. When he did, they had come into view of the stream. Looking around, Flocke spotted Lolly... and she was with Larimar!

"Larry!" he cried happily, and without thinking, he ran over and hugged her with his head. He was so relieved that she was safe, that he actually started tearing up. However, he didn't let the tears fall. He didn't want his friends to see him cry. He stayed there, snuggling against Larimar's chest for as long as he could. He had yet to notice the other two griffin chicks. All he could think about, was that his friends were safe.

* * *

Larimar wrapped her wings around his head, her eyes sparkling with jollity. They became dangerously wet, but she, too, held back a tear to not appear too worried about him. "Flocke!" She tried to get a glimpse of his leg. "Are you better now? Do you still feel sick?" He wasn't burning hot like before. Larimar took this as a good sign.

"Lolly's a great mommy chick," she told Skah and Ghost. _Even if she's never going to be my_ real mom _. I bet she'll make a really good mother one day for her own chicks._ "And we all help each other, even if there aren't that many of us."

* * *

Lolly watched Flocke and Larimar for a moment, happy that things were going to go well now. Part of her, however, seemed to mutter _He didn't do that to you._ It was so fleeting, and she wasn't even certain of what emotion brought that thought along, so she simply ignored it.

"I do what I promised them; I'll promise you, too if you want. I promised that I'd take care of them. And I will! I want us to become so big and strong that we can have a home again." Lolly said to Ghost and Skah. "Oh, that reminds me, we need to get some food. There's a whole bunch of little tasty creatures living around that tree we were sleeping by, and I think I saw some more of those fluffy things that we ate before we came to the forest, but I don't know how to catch them."


	19. - - Part II, Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Ghost watched the reunion of the duo of smaller chicks. The larger female chick, Lolly, was stood back a little from the other two. Ghost looked closely at the chick similar in colour to herself, studying her body. She was nearly as big as her even though she was the elder by at least three days. Lolly was even comparative to Skah who was a male and several days older than her. _I don't mind joining them_ she thought to herself, _but I doubt that Skah will like the idea._

Just as she was thinking this very thought Skah had already considered the idea somewhat more deviously than Ghost had imagined he would. Skah remembered some of his mothers words, many of them he hadn't understood at the time but they made perfect sense at the right time. His thought was abut adding to 'his' flock.

He already considered Ghost to be his companion, not in a romantic light, but he was responsible for her. Another two females would be good progress for his flock obviously, _but the male was a different thing altogether.  
_  
It was probably due to the harsh couple of hours during his early days that Skah considered Flocke to be weak and _soft_. It was wrong of him to make a conclusion like that, but he was certain that he would be the alpha male and that Flocke would not be.

Skah's mind raced through all of these thoughts while the others were busy but at the mention of food and hunting he was brought back to the present immediately. _Here's a chance for me to show them exactly how valuable I am_ he thought conspiratorially.

"Ghost and I can catch food quite easily", Skah's smug voice rang strongly for all to hear. "I watched my mother hunt for a few days before the attack and then I taught Ghost all I could" he explained.

"Show us where they are and we can get you some food". He put a little too much emphasis on the you when he said it.

Meanwhile Ghost had been quietly thinking to herself about how much Skah had changed in the matter of minutes. It was frightening for her. _He will always be my Skah though _a dark voice whispered in Ghost's head.

* * *

Flocke had barely been listening to the conversation. He heard his friends voices, and that was it. However, he snapped out of his happy trance when he heard the new voices. He backed up a step and looked at the new comers. His first thought was that the female looked like Lolly. He automatically trusted her.

When he looked at Skah, for a quick moment, his mind said he didn't like him. He pushed the thought aside the moment he thought it. _'He's male like me and Rourke! I should be friends with him!_ ' The sense of rivalry was completely gone, and instead, he decided Skah would be his friend. He heard what Skah had said, and was immediately happy.

"Really? That's great! I'm _really_ hungry. Something mean was inside me, and my food kept coming back up. It hurt and felt horrible. But I think the mean thing is gone now, because I don't feel bad anymore. I don't think I can help though, I still feel a little weird. I can't do much right now, but later, when I'm better, I can help you with stuff." Flocke took a breathe, and regarded Skah for a moment. "Do you want to be my friend?" he asked suddenly. He let the question out without thinking, and quickly tried to revise it. "You don't have to be, but I think we could be good friends. You could tell us where to go, because you're older, Lolly can help you keep us safe, because she's really good at it, Ghost could be your first best friend, Larimar can be my first best friend, and I can be... um... I can be the small one that makes everyone laugh!" he finished his monologue there. He had been asleep for so long, that he felt the giant urge to just talk. He would have continued, but knew he better not.

* * *

Lolly smiled. "Of course! If you follow us, we'll take you right to them! I'm glad to hear you're good hunters, we've just been really lucky." She caught an odd look in Skah's eyes, but didn't understand it. There were many new emotions flowing around her heart this morning, and she was giddy with excitement. Flocke's compliment had warmed her heart and filled her with confidence; she was eager to show off to these new chicks, and hoped that she didn't trip too many times.

She bounded up the hill but didn't move until she knew she was being followed. "Come on! Let's catch food for everyone! Then we can decide what we're going to do from there!"

* * *

Skah regarded Flocke with a guarded expression on his face. _Good, he already wants to please me, and I haven't even had to do anything yet._ Without hesitation he fired back the first thing that came into his mind. "Ghost will always be my first best friend, and she will help me do what ever we need", he stated definitely.

Ghost felt a burst of pride at Skah's words, a warm glow in her chest. She stepped up to Skah's shoulder and stood beside him further adding emphasis to her friends words. And then a moment of inspiration hit her, something she knew Skah would approve of and would help ease the tension with the other chicks. "We will help you. We will teach you what we know. But there will come a time when you will help us". She let her words hang.

* * *

"Of course we will. You guys must know so much about everything...we'll pay you back for all of it!" Larimar beamed. She started bounding after Lolly, her tail flying high, eyes flitting back toward her new friends. Skah's bond with Ghost gave her some assurance. They were such good friends with each other; surely they'd both make nice additions to their flock.

There was the chance they wanted something for themselves, but Larimar decided that she could trust them. After all, she did want something of theirs, in the most innocent way. _Their experience can help all of us, and Lolly, Flocke, and I will help them keep safe in numbers. We can learn how to survive from these two. We can build up a flock together!  
_  
"Hunting! Boy, am I starving. Ooh, I bet you know all the cool moves to catch all the fast prey! Can you show us some?!" She bounced a few times, trying to keep her mind off the food she was hiding. The truth was, she wasn't hungry at all, but what was she suppose to do? Flocke and Lolly would disapprove if she told them about that now. What would Ghost and Skah think of her? Hoarding was definitely not a good sign of teamwork. No, she'd just go along with it now and carry out that generous plan of hers later.

Her smile had started out genuine, but now she felt a little uncomfortable with it on her beak.

* * *

Ghost took Larimar's words as bonding words, _You may not realise what it is that we want now but you will in good time_ she thought cryptically. She glanced at Skah and knew immediately that he had the same thoughts as her. Acceptingn their understanding, Ghost turned to the task at hand, hunting. It was one of her favourite things to do, probably because she was very good at it. Infact Skah had only really shown her a few techniques before something ticked on in her and she knew exactly what to do. She hoped that teaching these chicks would be as easy as it was for her.

Skah had doubts that it would be easy to teach these chicks how to hunt. Lolly was big, but she was _strangely big_ like she didn't quite fit into her skin. And the other two he wasn't sure if they could stay quiet enough to begin with. He voiced his thoughts outloud, "Well the first thing you need to know is that all of that jumping around and loud calling is not what you do. Now anything we could have hunted will know that we are hear. So you need to be quiet and not draw attention to yourselves".

* * *

"Help you? Of course! That's what friends do!" Lolly cheered, trotting towards the tree. "We need all the help we can get if we're going to get big and strong!" That her new friends had a secret agenda Lolly neither knew nor suspected. Young as she was, it was unlikely she'd even understand if she knew. All she knew is that her little group was getting much bigger, and that she was feeling much better about the future.

She tripped once or twice when they reached the tree and brushed herself off quickly. "OK, I'll be quiet now." she whispered, "Here, they live here. In all the little holes. You gotta wait for them to pop their heads out or go digging for them." She panted, not even noticing until then how hard she was breathing. She forced herself to calm down. She so wanted to impress these chicks.

* * *

Ghost and Skah had followed the excited chicks in a much more subdued manner. Skah mentally cursed every time that Lolly tripped, he clumsiness a great weakness in his mind. Once at the site Ghost hung back allowing Skah room to 'work'. His work though wasn't physical, it was a mental inspection of the holes in the ground, the way that they faced, the number, the size and anything else of significance.

* * *

Lolly waited patiently with bated breath. Part of her wanted to try to catch a little creature herself, but another part told her to watch the two new chicks at work. She decided to follow the latter instinct and sat still, fidgeting a bit from the anticipation.

Just then, one of the long, scaly creatures poked its head from its hole, peering about to see if all was safe.

* * *

During Skah's contemplation of the holes one of the creatures appeared. Skah almost let out a sigh of relief when he recognized what he would be hunting. Something familiar would be good. The two chicks instincts kicked in then, they both dropped to the ground as they had already mastered. The lizard was facing away from them slightly. Skah flicked his tail inconspicuously to the right.

The movement was followed seamlessly by Ghost moving in the direction indicated. She had anticipated this. Skah knew that Ghost was a better hunter and he wouldn't want to fail in front of the other chicks. So she quietly slunk along the ground, her belly just trailing on the ground until she was squarely behind the lizards hole and completely out of sight. She began edging forward to striking range.

While Ghost had been stalking the lizard, Skah had shifted further backwards using the same technique that Ghost had employed, low to the ground just dragging the belly. He hoped that the other chicks were watching them closely. As a teaching exercise it wasn't the best, they really wanted some food. He would have to explain the dynamics later once the had filled their bellies. He watched keenly as his companion edged closer to the lizard.


	20. - - Part II, Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The lizard flicked its tail, not yet sensing the danger and hoping to sate its own hunger. Carefully it scurried forward in small bursts, pausing to look around for trouble. Soon it came upon a line of ants, and sat where it was lazily picking on the ants as it pleased, guard down but not completely.

Lolly watched as though entranced. She had never seen anyone this capable hunt before. She cursed her own clumsy body as she watched the comparatively graceful chicks move smoothly and silently towards the lizard. For the first time she felt a twinge of envy and wished that she wasn't so big and awkwardly built, even if that meant she would be weaker. It was wrong to think that way, though, so she pushed it down and watched once more. This time, however the feeling gnawed a pit in her belly and wouldn't completely dissipate.

* * *

Flocke watched the chicks as they hunted the lizards. He made a silent promise to himself to keep quiet while they worked. He sat a ways away from them and studied how they hunted. They kept low, he noted, and stayed out of the lizards line of sight. He also noticed how quiet they're walking was, as if they weren't stepping on fallen leaves and twigs. He wondered how they did that, but decided to ask later.

He had also noted, earlier, that Skah hadn't exactly said yes to being his friend. However, for some reason, he felt he understood why. He couldn't put it into words, but it was like instinct. He just knew. Skah didn't want to be his friend yet, and Flocke was fine with that. He did hope, however, that Skah would warm up to him. He wanted to be friends with the bigger male. After losing Rourke, Flocke had felt saddened. While the girls were indeed his friends, there was something about being near another male that made him feel happy and comfortable. It wasn't intentional, and he didn't know it himself, but Flocke was already looking at Skah like he was an older brother. And it was this unknown thought lurking in the back of his mind, that made him feel like he needed to impress the new male.

As the two chicks hunted, Flocke's eyes drifted to a shiny flutter of movement. Looking up, into a tree, he saw a bright blue bird. It looked down at him and tweeted a tune, before ruffling and preening its feathers. A grin brought itself to Flocke's face as he watched the bird in silence. He had forgotten about the hunt, and found simple piece in watching the bird. All fears of everything; all his worries- they disappeared for that moment.

When the bird flew off, Flocke laid down quietly and went back to sleep.

* * *

Larimar stood behind Lolly, studying Ghost's hunting. She thought about how she would replicate it. Their movements became very different from hers, and she started to get a little lost in all the different steps. It looked much more effective than charging the prey as fast as possible with your limbs flying everywhere. Larimar felt childish for trying that the whole time, expecting her target to stand still as she killed it.

Her eyes drifted over to Flocke. The blue chick was...sleeping? She started to go over to wake him up. _We have to all be paying attention!_ But Flocke had suffered through quite a lot the previous day, and he was probably tired. She decided not to bother him and turn her head back toward the hunting demonstration.

* * *

Ghost crept steadily along the ground, edging closer and closer to the lizard. She got to a point where she was only a few feet away from the unsuspecting lizard. She gathered her legs underneath herself as Skah had shown her and took a slow deep breath. She held herself in that position for a moment as she went through what she was going to do in her mind, willing her vision to become reality.

Then silently she sprang forward letting the breath out as she went. One silent bound, then another and she leapt onto the lizards back. Her weight forced the lizard flat onto the ground where she held it, her tiny but sharp claws pinned either side. Next her head whipped like lightning towards the lizards softer scaled throat where she clamped her beak closed and ripped away, opening the lizards windpipe.

Simultaneously Skah also bounded forward adding his own weight to pin down the struggling lizard as Ghost severed its windpipe. Blood had begun to seep across the ground, but somehow Ghost had remained clean. They both waited for the creature to finish its struggling.

* * *

Lolly squeaked out a "Wow!" before realizing that she was supposed to be quiet and put her paws over her mouth. Still, it was a very impressive sight to the young chick, who'd never seen the proper hunting technique performed by anyone previously. These chicks would definitely be a great asset. Lolly was certain that with this new lineup they stood a much better chance of surviving.

Lolly wondered if these chicks would want to be the leaders of the group. She didn't mind, she was perfectly happy being the muscle, but it did feel strange to suddenly have other chicks to compare herself to, chicks that showed her just how lacking she truly was. She had never had to assert herself as some chicks did, pushing and pecking to establish themselves as the top chick and getting the best pickings of all the hunts. The instinct was there, true, but she had fought it off for her friend's sake. She wondered if they would be that way, as sometimes they would look at her strangely, in a way neither Larimar nor Flocke had ever looked at her, as though she were a liability.

 _"I'll just have to work very hard."_ she thought, _"I'll have to learn everything they have to teach and train myself to be good enough for them. Flocke and Larimar need me to do that, but I don't think these chicks need me at all..."_ The concept scared her a bit in the same way anything new was frightening, but it would mean she would have a lot less work and worrying to do as far as guarding went.

* * *

Flocke was startled awake when Lolly shouted. He realized he had fallen asleep and mentally scolded himself. He was supposed to watch the hunt! Looking over to the two new chicks, he saw they had their prize in their beaks. What had they done?

He had seen the first half of the stalking, but not the rest of it. Something he really wanted to know was why the creatures stopped moving you caught them. He had missed the discussion where the group was lectured about life and death. He had been too busy catching up to Lolly, and then hugging Larimar to have heard the lesson. He was still oblivious to what death was.

"Why does it stop moving?" he asked quietly. He remembered he was supposed to keep his voice down, but seeing as the first hunt was over, he decided it was safe to speak just loud enough for Ghost and Skah to hear him.

* * *

"She killed it," Larimar said matter-of-factly. While the subject matter unsettled her, she was too new to it all to know the true severity of death. "Skah told me about it. When something has too much red stuff come out, it's not alive anymore." She didn't connect this with the fact blood came out of _them_ too, and that Flocke himself may have been knocking at death's door just a day ago. "And it becomes food! Right, guys?" Larimar looked over to Ghost and Matoskah.

She didn't tell Flocke about how mommies could die, too. The thought just generated too much fear and sickness in her.

* * *

Flocke thought about this. When you "kill" something, it means too much red stuff comes out, and it stops being "alive"? But, the first creature they ate hadn't been alive, and didn't have any red stuff. It just looked broken. Why was that? Thinking of his first meal reminded Flocke of the nests and the red stuff around them. Absentmindedly, he held the wing the white feather was in closer to his body for comfort.

That one nest... had been covered in red stuff. It had scared Flocke then, but now it just saddened him. So much red stuff... must have been from other griffins. Right? Then Flocke remembered the sounds from before he hatched. He had forgotten them for awhile, but for some reason, they came back. It was so loud and scary. It had faded only because he had, apparently, rolled away. However, he remembered one noise before it disappeared into silence. His mother's voice. So beautiful and sweet... had suddenly shrieked in terror and pain. It had scared Flocke so much, that he had pushed it to the back of his mind. Forgotten it... but not entirely. He'd never forget it.

Something clicked inside him then. He came to a strange realization. The blood covered nest was the only one in the perfect spot for his egg to have rolled where it did...

"My mother is dead." he said quietly as the realization soaked in. It wasn't a question, it was a fact. That bad red stuff, covering the nest, belonged to his mother. He had no hope of finding her, because she was gone. She wasn't coming back for him. She was lying somewhere, with red stuff coming out of her, and like the creatures they were hunting, she would never get back up.

Flocke felt sick again, but he held back the bile. He had no food in his stomach, so throwing up would only hurt him more. Without thinking about the rest of the group; forgetting the food and the fact that he was tired- Flocke walked away towards the stream to wash down the bile rising in his throat.

He wanted nothing more than for his mother, whom he had never met, to give him a hug.

* * *

"What?" Larimar stared at him, unable to figure out what he'd just said. "No, no, our moms are alive somewhere, Flocke...why would they be dead?"

It wasn't like the thought had never crossed her mind before. In fact, every since Skah had said his mother was dead, she'd been suspecting it. But she couldn't allow herself to believe it. Every mother in the world could have died for all she cared, but it was impossible for _hers_ and her friends' to be gone. It was just too hard for her to let go of that last shred of hope. Larimar had convinced herself of it, lied to her own heart until it became the truth in her mind.

"We'll find her. I swear-" Flocke had already started in the direction of the stream. Larimar found that she couldn't follow him. Her paws felt heavier than ever, and she knew for some reason that whatever she said, she would never be able to say the right thing to her mourning friend.

* * *

Lolly rolled this new word in her head around for a moment. _Dead._ It was so firm, so final. Somehow, she didn't fear it or feel sickened by it. It felt more like an answer than anything else. _"Dead's what you become when you hurt too badly. Dead's what you make food before you eat it. Dead happens to anyone."  
_  
Mothers, dead.

Flock, dead.

Rourke, dead...

Suddenly she DID feel sick. Having a face next to the word made it almost unbearable.

She shook herself of the feeling, stuffing it down though tears started to flow. "It doesn't matter now. Dead or alive, they aren't here to protect us, so we have to take care of ourselves. Maybe for a little while, maybe for forever. We stick together and take care of each other." She swallowed. "S-so, Ghost and Skah, did you want us to give that technique a try?"


	21. - - Part II, Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The lizard breathed one last rattling breath before stopping its struggles for the final time. At which point the pair of chicks withdrew from their immobilising positions. Skah kept one paw with its claws firmly planted in the lizards flank, a sign of ownership.

Ghost meanwhile had sat back on her haunches watching realisation after realisation hit the younger chicks. It has hard for them she knew, but these were lessons that had to be learnt.

Skah had already thought about how he would teach the chicks the basics of the techniques. "Lolly you will hunt Larimar. Once you succeed in 'killing' her then you can swap. I want you to do what feels natural to start with and then we will provide help. But think about how we went about things. Also Flocke if you want you can help Lolly if she wants it". He kept to himself that he would instruct Ghost to disrupt the 'hunt' at key times.

"Now start" Skah commanded.

* * *

Larimar glanced at Flocke one more time before walking back over to them. "Alright...look at me, I'm a crawly lizard!" She started scampering around, trying to stay low but falling over quite a few times. She finally settled with walking at a normal pace and hissing like a reptile, getting pretty deep into character. "I hope a big griffin doesn't come and eat me."

Her mind kept drifting over to Flocke. _He'll be okay. We'll find his mother. Maybe not mine, maybe not Lolly's, but we will find his mother._ It was a foolish promise. She knew that they'd all agreed to leave behind their birth flock, for their parents were as good as dead if they weren't really gone. Lolly, Skah, and Ghost probably wouldn't approve. _It's okay. They don't have to know about that, either.  
_

* * *

After Flocke drank from the stream, (effectively getting rid of the bile and calming his stomach and nerves) he began thinking. He wasn't the deep thinker type- he preferred playing and forgetting his worries- but that didn't mean he couldn't think seriously.

His mother was dead. That much, he was sure of. The more he thought about it, the more his hope dwindled. It pained him to know that his mother, the very being responsible for his existence, would never be able to preen his feathers, or keep him warm at night. She'd never be able to teach him how to fly, or how to survive through life. She'd never sing to him ever again. He loved her voice. He missed it. He wanted to hear it. It comforted him, and made him feel safe. Because it _hers_.

Flocke looked at his wrinkly reflection. A blue chick- like Rourke- who was a size too small, too weak, too scared, and too _alone_. He had no mother, only other chicks who were just as alone as him. They were all lost and without a flock. Weren't they?

Looking back to his friends, Flocke saw Larimar crawling around and Lolly was stalking her. Probably continuing the hunting lesson. They looked content, playful and hopeful. They looked ready to survive. What was Flocke doing? Moping around because his mother was certainly dead? Flocke knew better. He knew he should perk back up, walk back over to the others, and continue living with them happily.

But he just couldn't. There was a hole in his chest, and he needed to find a way to fill it. The white feather, and Lolly's love and protection wasn't enough. He needed something to keep him connected to his mother. But there was nothing. He had nothing. He started thinking about the last few hours in his egg before chaos. His siblings chirping from their eggs, telling their mother they were close to hatching. Griffin mothers cooing to their chicks and cubs. His own mother singing...

Her songs. She always sang beautiful songs. Her last one had been wonderful, and the lyrics were still somehow fresh in Flocke's mind. He wanted to hear it again. So, without thinking, he began to sing.

 _Mado Kara Mieru,  
kagayaku ume ichirin,  
ichirin hodo no,  
sono atatakasa._

 _Mado kara mieru,_  
 _mabushii me ni wa aoba,_  
 _yama hototogisu,_  
 _aa hatsugatsuo._

 _Mado kara mieru,_  
 _sawayaka akikaze no,_  
 _yama o mawaru ya,_  
 _ano kane no koe._

 _Yomei,_  
 _ikubaku ka aru?_  
 _koyoi hakanashi,_  
 _inochi mijikashi._

 _Mado kara mieru,_  
 _hieta yuki no ie ni,_  
 _nete iru to omou,_  
 _nete bakari nite._

 _Mado kara mieru,_  
 _tanoshi ichihatsu no,_  
 _ichirin shiroshi,_  
 _kono haru no kure._

His voice was surprisingly melodic, if not a little childish. It was as if he _hadn't_ been sick within the last 24 hours. It felt right, and it made him whole. He started feeling happy again- a new wave of energy filling him. If he could sing like his mother, then he'd never have to forget her. She'd always be with him.

Happy with this new talent, Flocke turned around and bounded back over to his friends and joined Lolly in stalking Larimar. He fell right into place beside his bigger friend. All previous sadness was forgotten, and he knew he could have fun again. It was time to learn to hunt.

* * *

Lolly laughed at Larimar's act, but stopped once she saw the look on Skah's face. "OK, serious time." she said as she readied herself to hunt her friend. She paced back and forth until she found a prowl that felt right, then proceeded to creep up on Larimar, keeping out of her line of sight.

She fought the urge to look at them to see if she was doing well and focused on Larimar, imagining that she was a small, crawling lizard. She was careful about making noise and minded her movements, though since she was a chick she was still making some noise and sometimes moved too quickly. She crept up to Larimar until she was certain she was close enough, readied herself, then pounced.

* * *

Larimar tried to scamper out of the way, but she tripped over her oversized tail. Letting out a squeal, she fell to the ground with Lolly on top of her. The larger chick's weight squashed her against the ground. "Ooph!" It didn't hurt, but it put her in an awkward position with her wings spread and back legs pinned.

"Oh no, I'm going to be Lolly's dinner!" she shrieked playfully. She wiggled around beneath the brown griffin.

When she stopped laughing and squealing, a faint sound reached her ears. She perked up, her attention turning away from the hunt. _Music...?_ A small, familiar voice sang a foreign song. She smiled, wishing she could join in, but the lyrics were all new to her. _Where did Flocke learn that?_

* * *

When Flocke reached the group, they were starting round two of "Hunting Larimar". Lolly was still the hunter, and Lar was still the lizard. They didn't seem to have noticed that Flocke had walked back up, so he decided, in a burst of playfulness, to sneak up on the "hunter".

It was easy really. Lolly was so focused on hunting Larry, that she didn't notice Flocke sneak up behind her. He knew Skah and Ghost probably saw him, but before they could say anything, he tackled Lolly. She was still too big for him to topple over, but he _was_ small enough to perch on her back. There he balanced, atop her wings and back, as if he had just conquered climbing a mountain. With a playful cheer he said, "I win!", before bouncing off his high perch onto Larimar. (Whom he _could_ tackle to ground.) He broke into a fit of giggles over his foolishness.

* * *

Lolly playfully nipped Larimar's neck. "And now you're dead and I'm going to eat you!" she giggled. "Did I do it right?" she called back to the other two chicks, before going still at Flocke's singing. She'd never heard a griffin make such sounds, and it soothed her somehow.

When Flocke stopped, she barely noticed as she'd let Larimar wriggle away. She readied to pounce her again and was about to leap her when she felt a chick jump on her wings. "Hey! You're not supposed to hunt the hunter!" she squeaked, but it was in good nature.

* * *

Larimar gave another shrill cry. She twisted around, grabbing his wing in her tiny claws to wrestle with. In her scatterbrained way, she forgot all about the practice hunt and invited him to play-fight with her. She rolled across the grass. "Not yet!" she screamed with childish glee. Her legs kicked around, trying to touch the ground where there was none.

* * *

Still laughing, Flocke grappled with Larimar. He attempted to get his wing out of her beak, but to no avail. Therefore, he did the next best thing: He grabbed her ear with his beak. He yanked hard enough to be annoying, but not enough to hurt his friend. He kept her pinned down for thirty seconds before her larger size got the best of him. Before he knew it, he was pinned down on his back.

"Lolly!" he cried happily. "Help!" He continued struggling against his foe, in the hope that his savior would, well, save him.

* * *

A broad grin spread across Larimar's face. She nipped at him, purposely missing. "Look, I caught a big eagle all by myself!" Flocke's squirming made her take a step back and release him for a moment. She looked up at Lolly. Larimar knew the brown chick was too big and strong for her to defeat, but, at that moment, she felt like a giant.


	22. - - Part II, Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Flocke got back up and took in big breathes. His was an eagle huh? He laughed at the idea. No, he was too small to be something so cool. He looked over at Lolly who was watching them play.

"If I'm an eagle, then Lolly's a bear! Get her!" and with that, he charged happily at his large friend. He couldn't knock her down, but he could still tackle her. Maybe with Lar's extra weight, they could take her down together.

He vaguely wondered if Skah and Ghost would play, before making contact with Lolly's side.

* * *

Lolly let him topple her over, making comical bear noises (or what she imagined a bear would sound like, having neither seen nor heard one) whilst kicking aimlessly. She rolled up and pretended to run away so they could catch her, sometimes batting at them when they got close.

"You're gonna have to do better than that to take down a bear!" roared Lolly as she tackled Flocke. She let him get away after a few playful nips and then went after Larimar, roaring and giggling the entire time.

* * *

Skah watched quietly as Lolly and Larimar worked their way through their practice hunt. _Lolly will have to rely more on her strength then anything else_ he thought. He didn't say anything as Lolly caught Larimar and 'killed' her allowing them to roll straight on into a new hunt.

Ghost watched the proceedings from her position slightly behind Skah, but she focused more on Flocke when he disappeared. She was a little concerned for the young chick but not enough to leave Skah's side. Besides she hardly knew him, she did not know what to say to comfort him. As she observed the two females play hunting she thought that already they looked better. She suspected that like her once they had seen how the act was supposed to look like their natural instincts had kicked in.

Flocke's song dirfted through the air, stirring many emotions within Ghost. She felt his loss and pain but also a twinge of happiness. The loss and pain resounded within her more than any other emotion. _I will find my mother or my mother's murderers_ she savagely thought.

At this point Flock returned to the group and promptly hunted Lolly down. Ghost was quietly surprised that the male chick had been able to so easily get behind Lolly's guard. Skah had similar feelings upon seeing Flocke so easily attain that position. _Their is hope for him then_ Skah thought somewhat cynically.

As the descended into more play and less of a hunt Skah turned quietly to Ghost, just barely so that the others wouldn't notice. "Lets teach them another lesson. You join them and I will give them all a little surprise", SKah whispered to Ghost.

Ghost suspected she knew what he was planning and without delay she jumped into the fray launching herself at Lolly's hindquarters knocking her back legs from underneath her before rolling away with momentum.

Ghost's distraction enabled Skah to melt quietly into the undergrowth where he moved in the shadows around the group so that he was opposite where he had started from. There he waited for the right opportunity.

* * *

Lolly collapsed and was surprised, but took this for more play. "Oh, hiya, Ghost! You took down the bear." she giggled. "Hey, where's Skah?" she wondered, suddenly noticing he was nowhere in sight. She smelled him nearby, so she wasn't worried, but she did wonder where he'd gotten off to…

* * *

Flocke, noticing that Ghost had entered their game, got in front of her. He lent down, with his bum in the air and his tail wagging back and forth wildly. A giant grin was plastered on his face, and he planned on keeping it there.

"I bet you can't catch me!" he dared Ghost, and before he could see if she took the bait or not, he took off- running in wide circles around Lar and Lolly. He noticed Skah hadn't joined in, but summed it up to the fact that the older male was a bit more serious than the rest of them. He didn't notice that the male had actually disappeared into the brush. He was too busy playing.

* * *

Ghost took a few steps forward so that she was facing Lolly and Larimar and watching Flocke run in circles around them. She gathered her legs underneath herself, crouching a little to get the most out of her body. She waited until Flocke had run behind the two females and was coming back in her direction, then she pounced. Launching forwards her front paws outstretched to either side a growl escaping her throat. Flocke was facing her as she traveled through the air. She landed squarely infront of him, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

* * *

Flocke stopped immediately for maybe a second, before thinking quickly and zig-zagging around Ghost. He was small enough to get around without getting caught, and fast enough to do it within two seconds She barely had time to move, before he was behind her and running away again. He laughed madly, before looking back. He felt triumphant when he saw her face. However, his lack of concentration on where he was going made him trip over a rock.

"Oomph!" he fell on his front, and laid there, sprawled out and defenseless.

* * *

A slightly surprised look crossed Ghost's face when Flocke stepped her so easily, she really had underestimated him. But the surprise had quickly been masked for Flocke had unwillingly ended up exactly where she wanted him, right infront of Skah's hinding place. Within seconds of the young cub landing spreadeagled on the ground Skah erupted from the undergrowth in a blur of speed. two strong bounds and Skah landed forcefully on Flocke's back his beak mere centimetres from the pinned chicks neck.  
"Dead" Skah breathed into Flocke's ear. He waited a few more moments before lifting himself off of the shocked chick and sat back onto his haunches. "There are many lessons to be learned from this, who can tell me one?" he questioned the chicks.

* * *

"Don't run too fast," Larimar replied definitely. She knew there had to be more to the answer, but she didn't like getting things wrong and figured giving a partial one was better. "You should have looked where you were going, Flocke. Then Matoskah wouldn't have gotten you!"

She eagerly turned to Ghost and Skah, hungry for their approval. Larimar was still in awe from Skah's fast attack. She'd never seen a chick move like that before! Impressed, she shifted her weight onto her shoulders to wait for more of their teachings.

* * *

"That you guys take playtime way too seriously?" Lolly chuckled. The laugh died as soon as she saw the look on Skah's face. It was so cold it turned her blood to ice. "Uh...n-never let your guard down, Skah." she answered, more somberly.


	23. - - Part II, Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Ghost took her turn in the lecture, "Almost Larimar, don't over commit unless absolutely necessary is one point, but there's more. Think about what I did and what Skah did". Ghost tried to be encouraging and lead the other chicks into finding the answer rather than just telling them.

"exactly Lolly. What if i had of been something looking to make a meal of a nice fluffy warm chick. Flocke would be gone now before we could of helped him" Skah was pleased that Lolly had seen this so decisively.

* * *

Lolly was relieved to have given the correct answer, but still felt a bit foolish now that her head was clearing of the euphoria playtime always brought on in her. By letting their guard down, they made themselves vulnerable. They turned a valuable lesson into a game, and Lolly felt ashamed for wasting their time that way.

She resolved then and there that she wouldn't engage in playtime unless she got the OK from Skah. Lolly felt that he had his head in the right place, so she trusted his judgement. Exactly how well she could keep this promise she wasn't sure.

* * *

Flocke stood up from where Skah had "killed" him. He was shaking slightly, having believed for a quick second that the older male really was something that wanted to eat him.

"Be careful who you trust?" he asked quietly. He had trusted that Ghost was just playing with him, but she was just leading him into getting tackled by Skah. He looked at the said male and ducked his head in embarrassment. It was obvious that Skah was more experienced, and it was time Flocke started paying more attention.

* * *

Despite having predicted that, Larimar was a little upset that she hadn't been right. _It's not a big deal, Larry. Lolly just got the right answer. Get over it._ She couldn't really explain why she felt such an overwhelming urge to please the more knowledgeable chicks. Especially Skah, who seemed much colder than Ghost. "Do you guys know any fighting moves?" she asked, her tail lashing in anticipation. "We can smash the mean creatures right into the ground with all your smarts!"

She looked over at Flocke, puzzled by his question. "Well, yes, but I bet Skah and Ghost can help us with that." She grinned. "They know so much about that stuff."

She was so pumped up for action that she didn't notice the approaching night. The sky had slowly shifted from brilliant blue to dusk, remnants of cloud drifting across a deep purple overlay. Only a thin sliver of sun remained, and soon the land would be plunged into a familiar darkness. Larimar had experienced quite the full day, but, strangely, she was not tired yet.

* * *

Flocke also realized the setting sun, and was immediately reminded of something. Looking to Lolly, he gave her a pleading look.

"Lolly? I'm still hungry." he hadn't eaten anything today, and seeing as he'd been sick the night before, you could technically say he hasn't eaten since the first day. "In fact," he continued on as a loud grumble and sharp pain cut through his stomach. "I'm _starving_."

* * *

Lolly looked sheepish. Of course she'd forgotten that too. "Just wait here, Flocke. I'll find you something. I won't go too far. I'll make sure to let out a big scream if I run into anything bad. Well, if anything bad runs into me." she corrected, "No sense screaming if it hasn't seen me."

She scrambled out of the tangle of exposed roots and scoped around, wondering where she'd try her luck when another thought hit her. "Don't come if I start screaming. I want you to save yourselves. I'll save myself, if I can. Don't worry, I'm not planning to go down easy. I'll fight to come back to you with my last breath if I have to. But I don't think it'll be necessary."

Lolly trotted off towards a promising-looking area; a felled log that reeked of tiny creatures. Silently she watched them, small and furry with long, hairless tails, until she could predict their movements. Though she missed the first few, she managed to grab a good-sized mouse and dispatched it with a quick shake. Though she was sure Flocke would want more, the others had long run away, so she had to return with her single kill.

"Alright, I told you I'd be fine." she smiled. "Here's dinner. I'm not as good as Ghost or Skah, I'm afraid, but it's better than nothing."

* * *

"Where are we going to sleep?" Larimar asked. Now that they weren't watching a sick, near-death friend, she was much more concerned with finding a protected, hidden place for them to spent the night in. She squinted, peering down the hill. She remembered the tree Lolly had declared their base a day or so ago. All of the trees looked the same now. The forest turned more and more foreboding as the sun continued to set.

* * *

Flocke looked at the mouse for all but half a second before it was scarfed down his throat. He had barely taken the time to know what it was he was swallowing. He surprisingly got it down in one gulp, only gagging once. He smacked his beak a bit in satisfaction before looking back to Lolly.

She didn't have anymore food, so he suspected that was all he'd get for now. He would hunt for some more in the morning. With a big grin and a grateful look in his eyes, Flocke said, "Thanks Lolly!" Then, with a yawn, "I think I'll go to sleep now..." With that said, he trudged over to a random (but big) tree and, still standing, waited for the others to follow. The grass beneath his feet was soft in this area, and he decided it would make a great place to sleep. He wasn't really thinking about the dangers of the night though…

* * *

Lolly chuckled. "Looks like Flocke's picked out a spot. We'll sleep there. Whoever's feeling most awake will keep watch for half the night, then switch out. I can take first watch, since you did it yesterday. And you two," she continued, looking at Ghost and Skah, "you have done more than your fair share today. You can sleep wherever and however long you want."

* * *

Skah bristled slightly at Flockes remark. "You're right Flocke" he muttered quietly but not threatening. "We have more to show you tomorrow, but that's enough for today" he told the whole group.

He looked at the surroundings then for a suitable place to sleep for the night. He was unsatisfied with the options but decided to work with it considering the others had already made camp. He turned and made his way over to a large tree root that was exposed. He circled several times on the spot before going to ground with his back firmly planted against the tree root.

Ghost approached Skah once he was comfortable agilely sliding down beside him. She squeezed as close as she could get to Skah. He then flicked his tail over her hindquarters as he had every night since she had hatched.


	24. - - Part II, Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The grass felt cool beneath Larimar's down, bringing about a sense of tranquility in the chick. A million stars filled the sky. It stretched on forever, vast and unknown. Most of it was blocked by the branches of the tree, but she could see a few twinkling lights through a few gaps in the leaves.

 _I wonder what it's like up there, with the stars, the moon, and the clouds. I wish I could climb up there. Then I would be able to see the whole world like the birds._ Larimar stretched a lime green wing, studying it. None of her flight feathers had come in yet, but she could recognize the shape. _Maybe one day I will do that.  
_  
At first, Larimar thought she would never get to sleep. Then she closed her eyes, and it came upon her faster than it ever had before.

* * *

Lolly perched on a high-sitting root from which she could see all of the sleeping chicks and most of her surroundings to assume the watch. As the night grew darker, she was a bit surprised how well she could see in the dark, even when the moon was hidden behind clouds. She'd bristle at every noise at first, but though occasionally she'd spy a fox or some sort of wild cat sniffing about, they never came close enough to worry about.

Every so often, she'd scurry around the tree a bit to cover her blind spots and keep herself awake, which wasn't easy to do with so many chicks sleeping below her, but was doable. True to her word, she took half the night and a little bit more before waking Larimar to take her place. Gently, she shook her friend awake.

"Hey Larimar, are you up for taking next watch?" she asked quietly. "I'm sorry if you're too tired to do it. I'll keep going if you need me too. I didn't pick Flocke because he's still recovering and he didn't eat much."

* * *

Larimar blinked the sleep out of her eyes. "Sure...yeah," she replied, doing her best to straighten up. She climbed up next to Lolly to take her place on the tree root, skimming her eyes over the quiet bodies of her friends. At last, everything seemed to be peaceful and right.

As the night wore on, though, Larimar's senses started to open up to the great cacophony around her. Night creatures rustled the vegetation. Shrieks and hoots from owls startled her a few times, and she heard some footsteps getting frighteningly close. Threats that didn't exist started appearing in her mind. Was that a shadow, or a big bear about to gobble them up? Did that hoot come from right above her, or from the patch of trees to the left? She shivered. Her eyes almost closed several times, but she was determined not to let their flock down this time.

* * *

Lolly muttered a few very grateful thank you's before curling herself around Flocke in Larimar's place. It didn't take long for sleep to find her. She slept very soundly thanks to the long day of practice and guarding.

She slept a bit longer than she intended and missed the sunrise, but she was relieved to see Larimar still holding her post. She stretched out her muscles and walked to Larimar. "Morning." she yawned. "Thanks for guarding us. How're you holding up?"

* * *

Larimar stumbled as she tried to get off the root, falling flat on her face. "Good," she answered sleepily. "But I think I'll have to take a nap later." The other chicks were still asleep, so Larimar tried to speak quietly. Hunger was finally starting to set in. She was surprised her feast from yesterday hadn't kept her full through the night, but she'd used up a lot of energy with that training session.

"Want to go find some food before they wake up?" she asked Lolly. "I'm going to go back to the water for a drink." She stretched her front legs and wings in unison, her mind clearing as she prepared for the new day.

* * *

Flocke was still attempting to sleep, so when the girls moved away from his side, he felt uncomfortable. He moved around a bit before finding himself snuggling next to a new chick. He didn't open his eyes to see who it was- he knew it was a griffin chick, and that was enough. Therefore, he didn't take notice that it was actually Skah's side he was leaning against. Through his sleepy haze, he assumed it was one of the girls, and continued to sleep, unaware of the possible annoyance he may or may not be causing the older male.

* * *

Lolly nodded. "I'll start looking for food, and they can join in whenever they please. I don't know how much I can catch, but I'll use what Skah and Ghost taught us yesterday and do my best."

She leapt off her perch and began sniffing around for prey near the brook. Little silvery things swam between the reeds that they'd used to bind Flocke's leg. She tried to catch these but it was too tricky for a beginner. After her attempts had scared off all of the fish, she had to admit defeat and move on.

She continued down the bank and found that the brook joined with a large, slow-moving river. A flock of strange, slender waterfowl larger than anything she'd managed to catch skimmed for little fish and insects in the shallows. They looked fast, so Lolly remained silent and watched them for a while. She considered going back for help, especially since these were unfamiliar creatures, but she was worried that the attempt would alert them to her presence and frighten them away, so she decided not to risk it. She inched closer, hoping that she wouldn't stumble.

* * *

Larimar broke away from Lolly once they reached the runnel, going further upstream to get her drink of water. It was cool and refreshing but did nothing to ease the hunger that was slowly eating through her belly. She thought about looking for her cache. _Meh, I'll save that for later._ A part of her wondered, _Why? Why haven't you told your friends yet?_ Larimar was afraid of what the answer would be, so she made herself think of something else.

She saw Lolly moving toward a group of weird birds downstream. They didn't look like any of the small songbirds or huge, high-flying birds of prey she'd seen. Unlike Lolly, she was frightened by this new, big type of animal, and started going farther away from the brook in her search for food.

A bright yellow butterfly flew past her. It's beautiful colors caught her attention, and the wide, constantly moving wings made it look bigger than it actually was. _I wonder what that tastes like._ She tried to do that hunting move Skah and Ghost showed them on it. The insect didn't even seem to notice. When she came a bit too close to it, it started fluttering away.

Larimar started getting frustrated. She started chasing it, jumping and snapping wildly as it flew higher and higher. Her back legs tensed, muscles pulling and straining in a way so natural to her, and she sprang up as high as she could. Her beak closed on a fragile wing. "Yes!" she exclaimed, accidentally dropping her catch. She quickly bit it again, killing it and essentially snapping it in half.

* * *

Lolly finally decided to take a chance. Moving slow and freezing when one of the small pure-white herons looked up, she gradually made her way to the cover of the reeds nearest the flock. There were a lot of them, but she had to choose one, knowing it would be futile to just jump in and hope to grab one.

Scanning the crowd, Lolly targeted a scraggly-looking bird with functioning wings but a missing eye. It would be a bit of a reach to get to him, but with all the other birds looking much healthier than him Lolly figured he'd be the best target.

Bunching up all of her muscles for the jump, Lolly kept her body pointed at the old bird and let loose, colliding with her target but also splashing into water that covered her up to her head. She felt the bird struggling and knew he was getting away with his squawking brethren, so she dug into whatever part of him she could grab and clamped her beak down on what felt like a stick. All sounds were muffled under the water, and her grip on the bird's body was lost. She worried that she'd lost it when the stick in her mouth tried to pry itself free. She pushed her body along the bottom of the river, never letting the leg go but fighting off her panic. She'd never been underwater before, not like this, and the fact that she couldn't breathe scared her more than anything else. Still, she couldn't afford to lose such a large meal and struggled on.

She wasn't prepared for the explosion of sound that greeted her ears when she burst from the water, not only from the surroundings on the land but also from her screeching prey, which was still flailing and struggling. She threw herself on top of the heron and lay there gasping for a moment, sucking in glorious air in relief. Once she was calm, she dispatched the crying heron with a bite to its slender neck. It kicked weakly a few times as its life-blood drained before it went limp. Lolly panted and looked over her kill. It was impressive, though it seemed to be more feathers than she'd first thought. Still, it was the toughest and largest kill she'd ever made. She swelled with pride as she dragged her prize back to the others.

* * *

Larimar finished off the butterfly, disappointed by how little it was. Her stomach was still growling when every last scrap of wing had been consumed. Lolly was preoccupied with her heron hunt, so the green chick was on her own with further hunting. After pondering over what to do for a few moments, she started back to the brook.

She dug up the last bits of rabbit. She felt saliva fill her beak at the scent of meat. It was somewhat stale and dirty but still fit to eat. Larimar scarfed down the remaining food in a matter of seconds. She didn't feel the least bit guilty. _Lolly's a way better hunter than me. I bet she'll catch enough for everyone else._ Smiling, she made her way back to there tree to meet Lolly there.


	25. - - Part II, Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Lolly dropped the heron by the tree and sat beside it. "Caught this. We're all to share it. There should be there to keep us going until we can each catch something on our own. These things come to the river down that way to eat, so if you want to catch your own, that's where they like to be." She shook the water from her pelt. "Be careful, though. The water's deep and you can't breath in it. I don't think they'll come back today, anyway. I scared them off to get this one."

Lolly began preening herself to dry her feathers faster and to give the other chicks the first dibs. Her growling stomach complained and her instincts were telling her to keep it all for herself and give them the scraps, but she focused on her grooming until these faded.

* * *

Flocke, awake by this point, (he was startled when he realized where he was laying and quickly moved away) was impressed with Lolly's catch. He doubted he'd ever be able to catch it at his current size. It was more likely to fly away with him attached to its leg, trying his hardest not to fall off...

That thought amused him greatly. He waited to see if anyone else was going to eat (even though he was starving). Skah and Ghost seemed to still be sleeping, so he looked to Larimar.

"Larry? You gonna eat?" he asked politely. He really just wanted to dive in and forget about the others. But he held himself back in favor of making his friends happy first. Even though that heron was starting to look _delicious_ …

* * *

"I'm...yeah, I'll have a bite." She had two delicate bites from its breast. Hoping her belly wasn't bulging like she thought it was, she moved back to allow Lolly and Flocke to eat. _I wonder how Lolly caught this thing. It's so big!_ She made a note to herself to ask Lolly how she did that later. _I'll have to try all the hunting stuff I learned later. Maybe I can also work on jumping. I can't wait to show Skah and Ghost how good I am at that!  
_

* * *

Flocke didn't pay much attention to the fact that Larimar barely ate anything. The moment she left the bird carcass, he literally dove for it. Had he been bigger, there would probably have been complaint about how much he was eating. However, because he was small, he took just about as much as he should if he were normal sized and wanted to share. He stood back from his breakfast and clucked his beak in satisfaction.

"Thanks Lolly!" he cried out happily. "I'm really full now!" And wasn't that a relief? He sat back over by the tree and decided to do some morning preening for his feathers. After a few moments, he found his white feather again. It seemed to be holding up nicely, and was still as soft as the first day he found it. He wouldn't deny, he was becoming overly attached to it. He was starting to doubt he'd ever let it go. Taking it from his wing, he began to preen it as well. It was just one feather, but he ended up preening it for about five minutes before placing it back, and deciding he was ready for the day.

* * *

"Eat all you want, but leave some for the others" Lolly reminded her friends, though it wasn't really necessary. She finished off the part of the breast Larimar ate off of and then fell back. She'd sated her hunger enough to wait for any scraps Flocke, Skah and Ghost would leave. "I wonder if they've ever caught anything like this." she wondered aloud. There was a lot she didn't know about these chicks. She decided to ask Larimar what she knew since she'd been the one to meet them.

"So, you never got to tell me how they ran into you. Did they tell you how they came to be alone?"

* * *

Larimar hesitated. She wasn't sure whether or not Skah would like it if she told them about his mother's death. She kept it as simple as possible. "Matoskah's mom died not too long ago, and Ghost's left and never came back. I guess they wandered around together for a while before they found me in the stream." Despite the male chick's hostile demeanor, she couldn't help but feel a great sorrow for him. _Is it better to not know your mother at all than to see her die?_

She noticed Flocke's feather. It didn't look like it was one of his, and treated it with much more care than his own coat. "What was that?" she asked curiously after he had tucked it out of sight.

* * *

Flocke was startled by her question, and for quick moment, considered whether or not he should tell her. ' _She's my friend. Of course I'll tell her!_ ' he thought.

"I found it. It was in that really... bloody?... yeah bloody. It was in that really bloody nest when I went to look at it. There was nothing else inside. So I took it. It... makes me feel safe. I... I think it might have been my mother's." he finished off quieter than he had started. The more he thought about it, the more sure he was that the nest he got the feather from, had been his. It saddened him a bit, but he was also happy that he knew. He knew his mother was most likely dead, so he no longer had to live in a false sense of hope. He was also happy that he knew what color his mother was. It wasn't a wing feather like he had previously thought. No, it was a downy feather from his mother's breast, meant to keep her hatchlings warm. Now, it was being used to comfort her only surviving chick.

"I'm also pretty sure she was white." he finished there. He knew what his mother looked like, even though he'd never met her. He didn't know the color of her eyes, but he knew the color of her plumage, and the sound of her voice. That was enough, and he was going to make sure he never forgot.

* * *

"That's very beautiful, Flocke." said Lolly. "It's good that you have something to remind you of your mother. Sort of like me and my-" She suddenly got a pang of dread. Her eggshell! She left it behind back at the tree Flocke had been sick by. It wasn't really necessary, and she wasn't one to be sentimental over personal possessions, but it had come in handy from time to time and it was the ONLY thing she had.

There were no feathers in her nest. No red stuff, no voice she could remember. The scent was faint when Lolly had come free of her egg, panting under a pile of twigs. Any other eggs in her nest had been taken whole; apparently hers had been hidden. Her mother must have been killed far from her nest or else driven off quite some time before Lolly had hatched, since her egg had been a bit too cool when she'd hatched. The only thing Lolly had from her raided nest was a golden bowl-shaped bit of eggshell that fit on her head.

"How long could I even have kept it around anyway?" Lolly sniffled bracingly, but despite saying this she bounded off in the direction she thought the tree was. Or perhaps it was the other way? She paced back and forth trying to get her bearings.

* * *

"Lolly!" Flocke called after his bigger friend. He knew what she was looking for. It was the only thing she had from her nest. "I know how to get back to the tree!" Sure, he'd gotten sick later that morning, but he remembered which area of the stream they had been near, and where they had emerged from the forest. He was sure that if they followed a general direction, they'd find it sooner or later.

"Lolly! Let's look together!" he cried as he chased after his frantic friend.

* * *

Lolly sniffed and nodded, barely keeping herself from sobbing. Why she was acting so silly over such a thing she didn't know, especially since she was usually so practical. Still, she let Flocke take the lead eagerly, hoping that she wasn't taking her friend off on a wild goose chase.

All the trees looked similar to her, and when she climbed up high to get a better view she didn't catch any glimpses of gold. The scents were all mixed up now and her mind was blurred, so she wasn't thinking clearly enough to retrace their steps.


	26. - - Part II, Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

With Lolly following him, Flocke went back to the stream. He looked both ways, before remembering that they had walked a little from the left. Walking down stream for a couple of minutes, he finally recognized the area. He walked away from the stream towards the trees before spotting something that was _very_ familiar.

"Yuck!" he stuck out his tongue as he looked at his day old puke. A few flies were already circling it, ready to eat and lay their eggs in the putrid stuff. He quickly walked passed it, not wanting to remember how disgusting that had felt. Once he entered the tree line, he kept in a straight line. He wasn't exactly sure which way he had come from when running through, but was sure he'd figure it out eventually.

After walking for a few more minutes, he sat down to rest. This was a lot farther than he thought it would be. He looked down, starting to think he'd have to disappoint Lolly. Then he saw something. Tracks.

Flocke looked at his tiny clawed hand, then back at the print, then to his claw again. The grin spread so fast across his face, he may have broke it. He placed his claw inside the print, and all the points in his head connected.

"Lolly, look! My foot matched the print in the ground. If we follow where they came from, we'll find the tree!" Flocke felt so proud of himself. He may not be a hunter quite yet, but at least he was somewhat of a figure-it-outer.

* * *

Lolly beamed at Flocke. Though her tears still threatened to spill out, she was now so full of happiness that she could barely bear it. The tracks were sometimes hard to see, but it was easy to follow where they were pointing. She was about to ask how long they'd be tracking when a familiar glint caught her eye.

She bounded around the eggshell, amazed that it was unhurt and bursting with glee. "Oh thank you, thank you thank you Flocke!" she cried, flinging herself onto him and nuzzling him vigorously. She quickly got embarrassed and pulled away, giggling at her silly moment. She trotted up to the shell and tipped it onto her head, relieved she could keep it for at least a little longer yet.

"Alright, let's go back! I think we can follow our tracks back well enough, so we shouldn't get lost!"

* * *

Flocke's pride swelled. He felt accomplished for having achieved his goal of helping Lolly find her egg helmet. When she smothered him in her happiness, he ignored the fact that he could barely breath as he snuggled back affectionately.

"No problem!" he cheered with glee when they parted. Turning, he trotted back to the others. Instead of going ahead, he stayed at Lolly's side, content with walking next to his friend. Seeing the egg on Lolly's head made him happy, and he unconsciously pressed his wing with the white feather closer to his side. He could tell that was probably going to be a habit from here on out...

* * *

Lolly trotted back to the others beside Flocke, easily tracing their steps to find their way back. When she spotted Ghost and Skah she suddenly wondered what they'd say over her having an eggshell on her head. She decided to start planning an excuse while they were still asleep.

"Thanks for helping me again, Flocke. It means a lot to me." she smiled. "Hey, Larimar, look! We found it!"

* * *

Skah twitched in his sleep as he dreamt. He was reliving the few days that he had had with his mother before she had been killed. Boisterously jumping around learning everything that his mother taught him.

His mother. He remembered her as clear as if she was standing beside him, his alert chick mind had taken in all manner of details in perfect clarity from his earliest moments. He remembered his mother taking him into the forest around their nest showing him places and things. It was returning from one of these adventures when the humans had attacked. It was what had ultimately what had given his mother enough time to hide him amongst the rocks and other debris. She had told him to stay there until she returned. She had disappeared for a few moments before returning with an egg which she had slipped in beside him. The words she spoke then had remained with him throughout everything that had occurred from that moment forwards.

"You are the future Matoskah, you and that egg. Remember everything that I have taught you". She had turned then for the sounds of battle were growing louder and louder, the shrill cries of griffins in pain and the harsh shouts from the humans. Skah twitched even more violently in his sleep then.

Beside Skah, Ghost was also asleep, but she was not so deeply asleep that she could not feel Skah moving beside her. Skah's nightmare's had scared her at first, for he dreamed every night in the same way. But now she had gotten used to his nightmares. When Skah twitched so violently that he actually pushed her away from his side she just waited till he calmed and then squeezed herself even closer to him than before.

Skah moved again in his sleep, this time gently, his small body relaxing as deep sleep took a hold of him. For the first time in many nights he slept through to the morning with out waking.

Ghost woke first, a barely perceptible opening of her dark bronze eyes. They darted around the small clearing that they had slept in. She shifted her rear into a more comfortable position, her small movement enough to wake Skah. His eyes flew open and he bolted upright, front legs spread head down and ears back. Skah relaxed quickly when he realized what had woken him, sitting back on his haunches. "Morning Skah", Ghost purred quietly to him. "Morning" came back Skah's brusque response. Ghost rolled onto her back, exposing her soft underbelly, she rubbed her back on the ground before correcting herself and beginning to groom her fur.

Skah meanwhile had noticed the other chicks already awake and obviously already beginning the day. It was then that he noticed Lolly had something that looked suspiciously like an egg shell on her head. "Lolly, what are you doing?" he questioned, a hint of disdain in his voice.

* * *

Lolly felt as though someone had kicked her in the chest. Reeling, she tried to gather herself. _"Remember your excuse...remember your reason..."_ she repeated in her mind, hoping to calm herself so she could focus.

"I...uh...This is a bit of my eggshell. It's useful for carrying water around sometimes, and I can wear it on my head. I know I can't keep it forever, but it's all I have to remind me of my mother." she blurted, not sounding as convincing as she'd hoped.

* * *

Larimar draped a wing over Lolly's back. "None of us got to meet our mommies," she told Skah. "We hatched after they all flew away." She thought back to the nesting sight. That was blood they'd seen all over the rocks. She was sure of it now. That bad feeling rose up inside of her again. Was she really just keeping herself in denial?

She felt slightly jealous when she looked at Flocke and Lolly. At least they had something from their family to take with them. _I should have taken some of my eggshell_ , she thought. _Or that teal egg. Oh, why was I stupid enough to eat that?!_ Regret filled her, but she pushed it aside. "Are you gonna show us anything cool today?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

* * *

Skah's first thought was to tell Lolly to throw the egg shell away and stop being such a baby. But then commonsense kicked in and he realised that a remark like that could turn the chicks against him, so instead he merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure we are going to do something really cool today", Skah replied in a manner that could be described as excited, for him anyway. "Lets show you how it feels to fly!"

Ghost perked up when Skah mentioned flying, she knew of course that he didn't really mean flying. "We're taking to the trees!" she exclaimed excitedly, having done this exercise with Skah several times already.

* * *

Lolly brightened at the change of subject, and the prospect of getting into the trees was exciting. She completely forgot about the look of disapproval Matoskah had given her a few moments prior.

"Traveling through the trees will mean we can cover a lot more ground! Plus there aren't as many of the bad creatures in the trees, at least as far as I know." Lolly said as she jumped with glee. "D'you think we could find a way to sleep in the trees, too? Ooh, and once you're in a tree, how do you get down?"

* * *

Ghost was happy to see Skah and Lolly put aside the eggshell dilemma, for she was excited to get into the trees again. "It's easy Lolly, all you have to do is jump around and use your claws to grip and wings to balance".

"There's a bit more to it than that", Skah interjected. "You need to be careful about where you choose to go, if the branch won't take your weight then you will fall".

"Follow me!" Ghost called as she bounded towards a tree that was conveniently leaning at an angle allowing then to run up its length and into the canopy. Skah took after Ghost but as she made her way up the tree he stopped at the bottom to wait for the others to catch up and give instruction if they needed it.


	27. - - Part II, Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Flocke looked up the tree Skah and Ghost were climbing. It looked pretty high... He turned his head to look at his short, stubby wings. Those would NOT keep him from plummeting to the ground, should he fall. He then took himself in entirely. Small... Oh so small. If he were to fall from the lowest branch- while the others might be fine- he realized he could seriously hurt himself.

' _Maybe I should stay on the ground, while the others go..._ ' he thought to himself. But no, he couldn't do that. That would show the others that he was scared and, in turn, weak. He didn't want to be seen as weak... But the tree was so tall, and he was so small. In truth, he was weak, even if he didn't want to show it. He really should just stay on the ground.

' _But... there's bad animals on the ground._ ' Now he was beginning to panic. Which to choose: Death by blood-thirsty animal that wanted to eat him... or death by falling to the ground and potentially not dying right away? ...

Without any further hesitation, Flocke scampered up the tree after Skah and Ghost. It was surprisingly easier than he had first expected, but he still felt scared. His tiny claws and talons gripped the bark for dear life, as he continued up.

' _Don't look down, don't look down..._ ' was the continued mantra that constantly flowed through his head.

* * *

Lolly laughed with joy as she watched Flocke scramble up the tree to join Ghost. She bounded to the base of the leaning tree and jumped onto it, sliding down a fair ways before her claws could catch. "Oops! Didn't dig in fast enough!"

She scurried up the tree, but she was trying to go about it a little too quickly and kept nearly falling off and sliding back. She was panting by the time she reached the others, looking sheepish.

* * *

"Lolly you need to slow down and feel the tree", Ghost encouraged. "You won't want to be slipping around all the time up here!"

The tree limb that they had congregated on had become a little to crowded for Ghost, they were increasing the likelihood of someone getting knocked off. So she nimbly jumped across to another limb a few feet to the right. She landed lightly, using her small, undeveloped wings to steady herself in combination with her tail.

* * *

Larimar struggled to sink her claws into the tree bark. She slipped and landed hard on her rump. Her eyes started to glisten with tears as she felt the sudden pain in her rear end. She pushed them back, straightened herself up, and tried again. _Don't look so weak in front of them.  
_  
She looked up, horrified by the prospect of climbing that. _I can't do that!_ everything inside her screamed. Clenching her beak, she wrapped her paws as far around the trunk as she could. She was sure to use her back paws this time, pushing off the trunk with them every time she moved her front feet forward. Her heart started racing every time she slipped. _I'm going so slow! But it feels so high up here...eep! Is this what birds feel like? This is horrible!  
_  
Her wings spread unintentionally when her back paws slipped. They caught the wind, almost making her loose her grip. She was almost there...just a little more...she struggled to fold her wings, her crooked left one refusing to furl correctly as she panicked.

Finally, Larimar boosted herself up next to Flocke. She looked down briefly and quickly closed her eyes. "It's so high up here," she said shakily.

She watched Ghost with wide eyes. "Wow!" she exclaimed. Her legs tensed, longing to mimic such a perfect jump. _Not if you want to stay alive_ , Larimar scolded herself.

* * *

Skah followed Larimar up the tree. Her progress was slow but she persisted and eventually slid in next to Flocke. "Larimar, all it takes is practice", he explained. "We have been doing these things for only a few more days then you three".

"That's right, we just have more practice. Soon you will be able to move the same way we do", encourage Ghost. "Even Skah fell once when we started", Ghost consoled the other three chicks.

* * *

"Good...I'm going to practice all day!" Lolly squealed optimistically. More carefully than before, she climbed higher on the tree, jumping onto a higher branch but not being as skilled at it she has to struggle a bit to climb on top. The view was incredible. She'd never seen anything like it. Trees that had loomed above now stood at eye level, and even higher she would be looking at them from above.

Birds were flying here. A particularly large and ugly one was soaring at the moment, sweeping in smooth curves. Lolly was careful to stay out of sight, but it did give her the briefest moment of excitement to think that one day she would be doing the same thing.

"Have you ever seen an adult fly?" she blurted suddenly. "I wish I could see how we're supposed to work our wings."

* * *

"You fell!?" Flocke exclaimed. He looked Skah over. The male was fine as far as Flocke could tell. Still... he was two times the size Flocke was. Flocke knew for a fact that he didn't want to fall. His grip on the bark was so tight that the blood circulation was having a hard time getting to his toes. He was also keeping very low to the branch, keeping his wings tucked in, had his tail wrap around the branch he was on, and was looking everywhere that wasn't _down_.

What Lolly said made him wonder what adults even looked like. They were probably a lot bigger than them, and Flocke had a feeling that he wanted to avoid them. Who knows what they'd do to them after all. But that didn't mean he wasn't also curious about what it looked like for an adult griffin to fly.

He looked up further into the tree, half expecting to see a griffin flying in the sky. Instead, there were a few birds near the top, and Flocke felt the sudden need to go up there with them. Without thinking about the others, he slowly (very slowly) made his way up. He never let more than one appendage leave the tree, and it always replaced itself within seconds. He refused to look down, and ignored the feeling gravity was giving him in his gut. He kept watching the birds- his only motivation.

He was so near the birds now. This was when he realized that the branch he was currently grasping was fairly thin. In fact, a lot of the branches around him were thin. ' _I_ _shouldn't be on these!_ ' he thought for a moment. Then he realized something. He was small... That meant he weighed less! The smaller branches wont break for him, then. That was great news!

He was three branches away from the birds when he decided he was high enough. He felt accomplished again. He looked at the other to tell them what he did, when he became suddenly aware of how high he really was. His eyes bulged, and his muscles tensed right before he clasped his entire body around the branch he was on. He squeezed his eyes shut, and didn't open them for anything.

"Too high..." he said quietly. He was overrun with fear. He realized he had been stupid. If he was afraid of looking down, then how on earth was he going to _get_ _down_! He whimpered as his eyes began to water. He no longer likes trees…

* * *

"Flocke! Flocke, you - oh!" Larimar felt herself becoming faint. Her friend could fall at any moment. Why on earth did he even think he could _do_ that. She looked to Skah for help, unable to muster up any words of her own that would help Flocke.

She moved farther down the branch, away from her friends. It started to bend under her weight as she got closer to the end. She squealed and scrambled backwards, shaking the branch even more. It was extremely hard for her to balance on the thin perch. At least it gave her a clearer view of Flocke. Her breath started to slow as she relaxed into a safe position.

"Can you climb down?!" she shouted. It was stupid question, but looking up from below him, it seemed plausible. "Try going down tail-first."

* * *

Snapped out of her reverie, Lolly leapt into action for her friend. She wasn't very able in the trees, and she knew that those branches were just right for Flocke's slight frame. An extra-large chick was simply too heavy to risk it. She settled for the next best thing.

"Flocke, try to climb down if you can! I'll try to position myself under you in case you fall!" She did hope he wasn't high enough to seriously injure himself... again. It seemed that trouble always sought out the smallest chick. She glanced at Ghost and Skah; if they weren't worried, she needn't be either, so she used their expressions to gauge the situation.

* * *

' _Tail first, she says... Climb down, she says..._ ' Flocke thought in a mock tone. It wasn't that he thought their ideas were stupid- they weren't. It was just that he was a tad bit too terrified to think any idea was a good one at the moment.

Squinting his eyes open, Flocke looked down at his friends. Why in the world did he think he could go this high, and get away with it!? Oh, look! Pretty birdies! Let's climb up after them and see just how far up we can get ourselves stuck! That sounds like a great plan! Go Flocke! Stupid, stupid, STUPID!

His mind was in panic, but his body was in shock. He was too busy mentally crying to even attempt a dangerous climb down.

' _I'm too small..._ ' he thought to himself. He felt so helpless. Too weak to even look after himself. Too small to hunt, too small to climb... What other disadvantages was life going to throw at him! Actually, his life was probably about to end. At least, that's what he was thinking. ' _Dead... I don't want to die. I... I want to grow up_.'

Even with these thoughts, he was still too scared to move. He looked at his friends below with sad, apologetic, and pleading eyes. "Help..." he begged right before shutting his eyes again- he didn't want to see his doom when it came.


	28. - - Part II, Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Ghost looked up at Flocke, holding her breath slightly. She didn't know what to do here and she hoped that it didn't show on her face. Instead she glanced at Skah. Skah was also watching Flocke, but he wasn't panicking, his highly analytical mind was working through all of the possible ways to help the small male. There was no way that he, or for that matter Ghost could climb up and carry him down. The branches were simply too thin to hold their weight, but... Larimar could get a good deal of the way.

Skah sprung into action then, his plan formulated and ready to go. "Flocke, close your eyes and don't move a muscle till I tell you to" he called up to the trapped chick. He then turned to Larimar where she was perched. He was sure that he could instruct her and she could carry out the task well enough. "Larimar, you have to get as close as you can to Flocke. You can take as long as want, but you have to climb up there and save him". He hoped that by impressing the chick that her friends life was in her hands that she would be able to carry out the task and not freeze up.

* * *

Larimar nodded. Her throat twisted up with terror when she tried to say 'okay'. Nodding even more, she started climbing up toward Flocke.

At first, it wasn't too hard. She'd gotten the hang of shimmying up the thick parts that she could wrap both forelegs around. She just couldn't help but notice it was still painfully slow. "Hang on," she gasped, unsure of whether it was directed at Flocke or herself. All she could think about was what would happen if a gust of wind made her friend fall, or he slipped, or some other horrible fate befell Flocke. _Keep it steady. Better safe than sorry, Larimar...  
_  
Then the real trouble started. She felt the thin ends of the branches snap beneath her. Suddenly, there was nothing beneath her back paws. Her wings started beating in panic, getting caught everywhere and sending her into a frenzy. She couldn't go down; she didn't know how to get up. _I'm trapped! I'm trapped like Flocke is!_ Larimar tried as hard as she could to lift herself up with her front legs, but they were just too weak.

She swung herself to the left and felt her back paws hit something less flexible. Using the sturdy branch as a launching pad of sorts, she boosted herself up to the next foothold. She preceded with much more caution (perhaps a bit too much), choosing her next move more carefully this time.

Larimar ended up a little to Flocke's right, but only about a foot underneath him. She placed a shaky foot on a thin branch and felt it start to splinter beneath her weight. "I...don't think I can go any h-higher," she called down to Skah, her eyes still on Flocke. "Now w-w-what?"

* * *

"Good work Larimar" Skah called up to her. "Now can you reach out and touch Flocke at all?"

"Lolly", Skah called quietly to the big chick, "We may need to catch him if he falls, so I want you to move underneath him and slightly to the right, I'll be on the left and hopefully between the two of us we'll get him".

Without waiting for Lolly's reply Skah turned to Ghost, "Ghost I want you to move down below us a little, keep a watch on everyone and call out if you see any trouble".

* * *

"Right!" Lolly called as soon as he'd given her orders. She was relieved that he was keeping his head-to her that meant that he was confident that they could help Flocke. "Underneath...slightly to the right." Lolly mumbled under her breathe as she tried to keep her eyes on the chick above and the branch beneath her feet. Finally she was confident that she'd found the right spot.

"Alright, I'm in position!" Lolly cried, "Ready in case of a fall, Flocke! But...don't fall. I mean, if you can help it. We've got you covered!"

* * *

Larimar's face scrunched up in frustration. "N-no, he's still too high." She started inching closer to Flocke, trying to stay on the same branch. When that twig snapped, she quickly clambered up onto another one. She balanced precariously among the leaves. It took a while for her to summon up enough courage to keep climbing. Her foot extended again toward Flocke. This time she was a mere two inches away. "Is this close enough?"

* * *

"That's perfect", Skah called up to Larimar, having moved into position opposite Lolly. "Okay, Flocke you need to drop your tail down so that Larimar can touch it. Then you need to start moving down _one_ leg at a time".

* * *

Flocke peaked an eye open and looked back to see Larimar reaching out to him. He heard what Skah said, but was having trouble moving a single inch of himself. Why did he have to go down? Wouldn't it be better to just stay up here fir the rest of his life?

' _No. Bad idea Flocke!_ ' he scolded himself. Then, he began instructing himself of what to do next. ' _Your friends are trying to help you, but you have to help them too! Just put your tail down. That's all they need at the moment, so do it._ The reassurance of his mind wasn't convincing his physical body one bit. He just couldn't move. One slip, one minor miscalculation of balance, and Flocke could fall to his death.

' _It would have been better to stay on the ground with all the bad animals!_ he thought frantically. ' _At least I can do something in that situation! But I can't do anything here!_ After thinking this, his mind shut down to the outside world. It wasn't that he couldn't, but rather that he refused to hear, see and/or smell anything around him. He hid himself in his head, pretending he was safe in a soft, warm nest, with a loving mother singing him and his siblings to sleep.

* * *

"No! Flocke, no! Don't freeze up!" Lolly shouted, trying to jump at Flocke but nearly slipping on her own branch. She looked for something to throw, not to hurt but to snap her friend out of the weird trance he'd lulled himself into.

"Honestly, Flocke! Wake up and try to get down! It doesn't matter if you fall, we're here to catch you!" she groaned in frustration.

* * *

Larimar stretched herself as far as she could, every ounce of her energy going into reaching Flocke. The sharp pokes she felt in her side from the broken twigs weren't helping. Flocke freezing up and doing nothing to help anymore wasn't doing any good either. She made a lunging motion forward, her claws barely missing his tail.

"Hey, Flocke!" she growled not out of anger but frustration. "Could you maybe move your butt over toward me?! Or stretch your tail a bit more?"

 _Almost...dang it!_ The branches she was perched on made another cracking noise, and she was forced to lean back more. She glanced down at Lolly, hoping the brown chick really was capable of catching Flocke.

* * *

Flocke vaguely heard the girls shouting at him, but it was enough to shoo the haze away temporarily. He cracked open his eyes once again, and looked back at Larimar. His limbs were trembling desperately now from how tightly he was holding onto the branch. He took in a deep breathe, then let a shaky one out slowly. Carefully, he lessened his right claw's grip, and took his talons out of the bark. He slowly inched himself backwards, before he was finally in Larimar's reach.

Then he heard something from above. A loud screech. Looking up, Flocke saw a giant bird. (Well, giant to him...) It was screeching and swooping around the tree. Flocke was about to say something to the others when he saw another one appear. They swirled around the top of the tree for a few moments, eyeing the chicks below them.

* *(Hawk's POV)* *

 _What do you think?_ asked the female to her mate. _The top two are small enough.  
_  
Her mate watched the chicks below him. It would be bad for him and his mate if the chick's parents heard their cries and came to their rescue. However, the top chick had been in distress for a good amount of time now, and no adults were showing. Perhaps these chicks had no nearby guardians. An easy meal... if that was true.

Assessing the situation once more, he deemed this hunt safe. Turning to his mate, he gave her silent approval, before folding his wings, and making a dive for the small blue chick. His mate was larger, so she would make for the green one.

* *(Back to normal! :D)* *

Flocke saw the pair of large birds begin to dive towards them. His eyes widened as he realized what the two were planning. His grip, which had been so tight before, suddenly went loose. In hind sight, he would have had a better chance if he were clutching to the bark for dear life. But, instead, his grip went slack, his beak fell open, and all he could get out was, "Lolly..."((Which is the closest thing to "Mommy" he could think of at the moment)) before he felt a large pair of talons grip around his waist and lift him from what had previously been the end of his life.

The shock of being lifted even higher into the air, and realizing that he was about become food for another animal got to him. Flocke, with only one look at the bottom of the face of his captor, fainted.


	29. - - Part II, Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

 _Smash!_

 _"Lolly..."_

 _"FLOCKE!"_

Who was screaming? Was that her? What was that thick liquid dripping down her side? Surely it couldn't be her blood...she couldn't feel anything. She couldn't think. _What is going on?!  
_  
Larimar lost her grip on Flocke's tail the moment he was tugged upwards. She hadn't even noticed the huge shadow of the hawk swooping down; she'd been so busy getting her claws around the blue chick's tasseled tail-tip. Larimar didn't have the chance to process what was going on.

She lost her balance, smashing the already weakened branches underneath her. Flocke's name was the last thing to leave her beak as she fell. Larimar closed her eyes, sure that she was about to die. There was just no way Lolly or Skah or Ghost could catch her...so why wasn't she dead by now?

She squeezed a single eye open. Blue. Beautiful blue and white stretched on forever, out over the distant mountains and as high as she could see. She looked down and immediately wished she hadn't. The trees became smaller and smaller as she rose into the sky. Wind chilled her, her short down providing little protection. She noticed a small pain in her side and swung her head around. A few small droplets of blood ran down her lime green feathers. It was mainly the view that made her nauseous, but the sight of red made her feel like throwing up.

Her gaze traveled up the scaly foot that was holding her. Its huge, black talons scared her. She tried to avoid looking at those. A feathery leg...more feathers...and a wing. A huge wing. _A bird! Wow, this one's huge. And sharp. Very, very sharp._ Her breaths started to quicken with fear. _I need to get down from here! It'll kill me...it'll kill Flocke. Flocke! Where's Flocke? He has to be safe!  
_  
"Flocke," she chirped weakly. The wind carried away her soft voice. She kept searching her chaotic surroundings for him, ignoring the strong wind and amazing view below. Larimar's eyes finally landed on the second hawk, who was higher than hers and had a splash of bright blue in its clutches. The raptor holding her let out a loud scream that rattled every bone in her body. She let the tears fall from her eyes. She was going to die.

 _But what an amazing view_ , she thought. She took a second to watch the land below rushing past them. It was horrifying, beautiful, and magical. She remembered her earlier thoughts. _Everything beautiful is dangerous. Is this what flying is like? Is this what I would have gotten to feel?  
_  
And in that moment, Larimar forgot about Flocke. She accepted her doom, accepted that any moment now, she would die. It seemed a small price to pay for this marvelous view of the world.

* * *

Skah say the hawk at the last moment before it dived, too late to help Flocke and Larimar. He let out a loud hiss, more a venting of frustration than anything else. _The fool makes trouble where ever he goes_ he thought angrily.

A cry escaped Ghost's mouth. She knew that Lolly would want to help them, however they could. She also thought of helping them, but she didn't know what Skah would want to do. She glanced up at him, and as she knew he would be, he was deep in thought. No Doubt calculating what he should do.

Thinking quickly Skah decided that he would try and help the pair of chicks, afterall Lolly would never stay with him if he didn't try. SO springing into action Skah scurried up the tree until he was as high as he could get. His eyes searched for the pair of birds and their unfortunate baggage. He found them easily, they were the only thing in a clear blue sky. His wings opened and twitched, another hiss escaping his beak. This one another of frustration directed towards his undeveloped wings that wouldn't let him fly.

"Get up here Ghost", Skah ordered. She reacted without hesitation scurrying up the tree nimbly. "Keep your eyes on them, we have to see where they land".

* * *

The instant her friends were grabbed by the birds, Lolly was running along her branch after them, leaping clumsily from branch to branch to keep up. Of course, since she lacked the experience, that was impossible to do, but she was able to keep her eyes locked on the hawks that stole her friends. She didn't wait for Ghost or Skah nor did she wait for their help. She was in pure action mode and logic and reason took a back seat to pure instinct.

Adrenaline coursed through her body as she struggled to keep her friends in sight. "Larimar! Flocke!" she cried, mostly to keep her focus. Soon, however, even the energy boost her adrenaline rush was providing would run out, and she wasn't sure what to do when that happened.

Her ears twitched at a familiar voice, so she paused and glanced back just a moment to see that Ghost and Skah were coming to help. Somehow, knowing that they were at least trying to help made her feel a rush of relief. Still, she couldn't allow herself to let her guard down now. She resumed the chase with renewed vigor.

* * *

Ghost watched Lolly take off with concern. She didn't think that Lolly would get very far before falling behind and getting lost, both from finding her friends and them. So she glanced at Skah who was keenly watching the pair of birds fly still further away, before announcing, "I'm going after Lolly, follow us when you can".

WIthout waiting for his reply she scooted down the tree to the sturdier branches she could travel quickly on. It didn't take long for her to catch up with Lolly, she raced along beside her silently.

Skah meanwhile was keeping his eyes on the birds and his ears trained on the forest. He could hear the sound of Lolly crashing along in the trees not far away. If he knew what direction she had taken off in he would have an easier time tracking her down later. Even better he would know where the birds had taken Flocke and Larimar.

* * *

Flocke slowly came out of unconsciousness, and the first thing he felt, was the gut tugging sensation of falling. This was closely followed by a loud thud as he hit something rough and poky, yet soft and warm. Quickly, he scampered to his feet and took his surroundings in.

A nest... he was in a nest. But it was small- not a griffin nest. Looking around, he saw three other beings inside the nest. They were roughly his size, but had a bit more fluff and feathers than he did. ' _Birds?_ ' he thought to himself. They were definitely strange looking. But why were they in a nest? Only mothers and fathers and babies... oh. So those other birds were... babies?

With a gulp, Flocke immediately decided he didn't want to meet their parents. They looked at him for a moment, then looked up and chirped. That's when Flocke heard another thud. Looking to the source of the noise, Flocke saw a pile of green.

"Larimar!" he cried as he raced over to her. "Are you okay?!" he asked, all concern for his own well being forgotten. Then he heard the same terrifying screech as before. Looking up with panic, Flocke froze as he saw the two hawk parents circle above him. He looked back at the hawk chicks, who were eyeing him and Larimar hungrily. ' _So..._ _the babies want to eat us? I don't think they could beat me and Larimar in a fight though... Maybe the parents plan on killing us for them..._ '

Just as he thought this, the bigger of the two hawk parents landed. Her babies flocked over to her, chirping excitedly. She nuzzled them with her beak before turning on the two griffin chicks. Flocke quickly looked back up- the father was still circling above- before he pressed himself closer to Larimar's side. Whether it was an act of protectiveness, or the need to feel protected, he didn't know. He just wanted the other chick's side for comfort.

Slowly he backed up to the back of the nest, but for every step he took, the mother might as well have taken three or four. She was mere inches from her intended prey, when a foreign screech sounded through the air. The mother peeled her eyes away from the chicks and looked up. Her mate followed her line of sight, and the pair spotted a rival hawk couple in the distance.

Hawks are fiercely territorial. Especially when they have chicks to protect and feed. So, without thinking of the still undead prey in their nest, the parents flew off to confront the intruders. Flocke let out a shaky gasp. Now they had time to think and, hopefully, escape.

Turning to Larimar, he said, "Where are we now?" before looking around to pinpoint where they had come from. All he saw was trees, trees, a distant river, and more trees...

* * *

Larimar sat up, dazed. She stumbled to the edge of the nest and looked out longingly, her face blank and unresponsive. Her eyes flitted toward Flocke once or twice. Otherwise, she didn't even acknowledge him. The two hawks spiraled and glided as they flew. She noted each one of their complicated turns and wing-beats. She didn't want to survive anymore. She wanted to fly.

"Where are we..." Her wings flew out. _Flocke. You need to get to safety and make sure Flocke's okay. Right now. Flying later._ Larimar turned around. "I-I'm not sure. I can't see the tree from here." She did a quick check of Flocke. Four legs, two wings, and a head. He seemed alright.

One of the baby hawks started making hungry noises. Larimar didn't understand their language, but she knew what a plea for food was. "Should we fight them?" she asked, nodding her beak toward one of the eyases. She knew that would make the parents mad, but what else were they suppose to do? Larimar sat down, feeling hopeless.

* * *

Flocke looked over to the three chicks. They seemed harmless enough. He doubted they were strong enough to kill their own food yet. He turned back to Larimar to say this when he felt a sting in his side. He yelped as he jumped away, and turned to see a chick standing there with some of his fluff feathers in its beak.

He glared at the chick. The pain had been annoying, but it faded almost as quickly as it came. Killing these chicks wouldn't be worth the rage of their parents. Even if they escaped, the parents may decide to hunt them down in revenge.

"Let's leave them alone and figure out how to get away." he said hurriedly. He peaked over the nest to see how they could get down and nearly puked. They were really, really, _really_ high up. Higher than the last tree. It might as well be higher than the clouds!

Okay, it wasn't _that_ high, but for Flocke, it was pretty darn close. In actuality, the nest was maybe twenty, twenty-five feet high. It was the type of tree that, if a human child saw it, would be dubbed a climbing tree, or a tree fit for a tree-house. So many nooks and crannies and footholds. In truth, it was an ideal escaping tree. The two griffin chicks should have no problem. That is, if Flocke hadn't recently discovered his fear of heights...

He felt a sting in his rear that brought him out of his haze once again. He whipped around and accidentally knocked heads with the chick. It squawked at him angrily, but Flocke squawked back. "Leave us alone!" he yelled at it, and the chick immediately joined its siblings again.

Flocke turned back to Larimar. "It's really high... Maybe... we should wait for the others to find us?" ' _Though the parents will probably find us first..._ ' Shivering, Flocke looked to where the parent hawks were. They were currently in a mid-air battle with the rival couple. All four of them looked graceful and powerful in the fight. Flocke didn't miss the way they used their talons, and thought of how they could easily be used on him.

"Er... Actually... Maybe we should get away before the others find us." With this, he sucked up all the courage he could muster, and went to the edge of the nest. The branch on this side connected to the trunk, so he clambered out of the nest and onto it. He suddenly didn't feel as safe as before. He no longer had the safe protection of a stable nest.

' _It's an easy choice Flocke... Get eaten, or fall. At this point... I'd rather fall!_ Even with those wonderful reassuring words, Flocke just couldn't bring himself to move. He whimpered at his cowardice, knowing that if he couldn't get down, then Larimar couldn't. (Because he had gone first...) He heard the loud screeches of the parents, and turned to see that their fight was over. The new pair had lost and was retreating back the way they came.

Flocke had a moment of panic before he realized that the parents weren't coming back to the nest. ' _Huh..._ he thought. ' _They must have forgotten about us._ ' It seemed the two hawks were going hunting again. Even with this wonderful news, Flocke was unable to loosen his grip. He let in a shaky breathe. "I'm sorry Larry..." he cried quietly as he slowly began backing up, back into the nest. Once inside, he was greeted with the painful peck of one of the chicks.

Instead of glaring, Flocke just sat there in self-pity.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Larimar snapped. Her voice was still hushed even though the hawks had already left to find more food. "We have to climb down!" She looked in Flocke's fearful eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong. Concerned, She went over to the edge he'd started to climb down from.

It took her a while to pinpoint the right way to get down. _I can do that_ , she told herself uncertainly. _But can Flocke?_ The blue chick had climbed pretty high in that tree earlier. Surely he would be able to do this! Larimar swung herself up onto one of the outermost sticks of the nest. "Come on," she cheeped.

It occurred to her that Flocke might still be scared of falling. Well, she still was too, sort of, but not nearly as much as the first time she'd climbed up a tree. This one was much, much higher than the trunk they'd previously scaled. It wasn't a few broken bones and getting knocked out if they fell. A miscalculated a step, and they were certainly dead. Larimar gulped. _Death up here in the sky by the claws of a bird, or getting smashed against the forest floor and cracking like a stick. Hmm, hard choice_.

"Flocke," she said, trying to sound nicer this time. "I'll go down first if you want me to. If you fall, I might...If you fall, I can catch you." _No, I can't._ Larimar highly doubted she'd even see him before he was a pancake below her. She trusted in Flocke's climbing skills, though. Her voice turned calm and steady, losing some of the affection. "Please, we have to find our friends."

* * *

Lolly had at least seen the tree which the hawks had deposited her friends into, though she was still quite far from it. The squirrels and Ghost and Skah made limb-to-limb travel look like a breeze, but for clumsy, bulky-built Lolly it was an ordeal. Branches groaned and snapped under her weight, and she constantly had to regain height.

"No more... trees for either of them until...until they can fly!" Lolly panted. She was far more worried for them than annoyed, but she still grumbled from frustration and pain from all the bruises one could expect she'd have gotten from all the slipping and falling. She was beginning to see why most mommies built nests on the ground. Who'd want to maneuver like this all the time?

She slipped once more and nearly lost sight of her tree. Her energy reserves were quikly running out, and she was very much hoping that she wasn't going to find a fight once she made it there. She decided to catch her breath a moment. "They need you, Lolly. Come on!" she encouraged herself, "They need you to get to them before something bad happens...again!"

Sufficiently motivated and breath all caught, she continued her mini-journey and leapt to the next bough perfectly. She grinned.


	30. - - Part II, Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Skah watched the pair of birds drop the chicks in nest a minutes flight away. It was going to take longer than that for them to travel through the tree tops though. But without further thought he dropped out of the canopy and down onto the sturdier branches. He launched himself forwards, time was of the essence now. He moved so fast that it looked like he was barely touching the branches.

Skimming along it didn't take long for him to catch up to Ghost and Lolly, Lolly was visibly tired. Afterall she wasn't used to the hard physical toll travelling through the trees took. But she perked up at her own words of encouragement.

Skah bounded past Lolly and Ghost veering east slightly he called, "this way will be quicker".

He travelled on in silence not looking back to see if the others were following him till he stopped dead, his heart hammering. The trees had run out in front of him!

Skah paced furiously up and down the bough he had stopped on. There was a break in the trees to great for him or for that matter any of the others to jump. It was only a few metres, but it was enough to stop them in their tracks. He hissed, his tail lashing, he could see the tree that Larimar and Flocke were in.

Beside Skah, Ghost stood, less agitated but equally unhappy. "there's nothing for it Skah, were going have to go down", she stated.

Without responding Skah leaped down to another branch, landing with a loud thud causing the whole tree to shake. He continued down the tree in this manner, Ghost following his path down the tree.

* * *

Flocke looked at his green friend. He wanted so badly to yell at her. To tell her, "No, I can't do this! You can't catch me if I fall! I'll die either way, so why can't I just stay here?!" but he knew better than that. That would be cruel, and he knew for a fact that he wasn't cruel. He was just scared.

' _Just_.' he thought, mocking himself. He wasn't _just_ scared, he was terrified! But Larimar was leaving, and Flocke knew he had to follow. Slowly, he walked over to the side of the nest. He looked over the side, and his heart jumped in his chest. He had forgotten just how high they were in the few seconds he spent not looking down. He panicked and quickly looked up. Larimar was already starting her way down.

' _Okay Flocke,_ ' he thought to himself. ' _You just need to calm down. How to calm yourself down? ... Oh yeah!_ ' It started quietly, but if you listened hard enough, you could barely tell that Flocke had started humming to himself. Placing his claws back on the branch, he began to (slowly) go after Larimar.

* * *

Larimar made sure that Flocke was going down with her before making her own progress. With every two steps she took, she saw to it that Flocke made at least one. It was harder going down paws first than going up. _No wonder Flocke couldn't come down from those high branches!_ she thought, releasing another big breath as she dug her talons in safely.

She started moving diagonally down the tree, her left foot leading. It was slower but easier for her than just going straight down since she could see her next foot-hold better. Several times she lost her grip too soon and started lurching backwards. Her wings were out again, beating futilely with every one of these mistakes. Her side still hurt, her toes were sore, and her wing slammed into the bark several times. Larimar was miserable.

"Almost there!" she called out to encourage Flocke. Her voice wavered, sounding less hopeful than she'd wanted it to. She spotted a big, sturdy branch not too far below. Before she could stop herself, she dropped down onto it and clung there, panting. She rested there and waited for Flocke.

* * *

Deep in the forest, an egg glimmered. It rested on a bed of hastily thrown together grass and leaves, covered only by torn up remains of a few bushes. Drops of crimson had dried on its shell, an innocent reminder of the death that brought this egg here. There was no gemstone to keep the egg warm, but it was so close to hatching that the chick didn't need one anymore.

It glimmered with shades of blue, purple, and green, shining in the dappled light that fell through a canopy of leaves. For an egg so beautiful on the outside, it was quite plain and boring under the shell. Inside, a tiny heart beat, and that was all he knew. He had no name, no story to tell. Just that constant rhyme that had accompanied him since before he could remember.

 _Thump. Thump. Thump._

The unborn chick fought against the urge to break out of the shell. His powerful instincts tried to control him. _Push! Peck! Get out! Go into the world._ He frowned. _No. I like it here. What if it's bad out there? I must stay in here, where it is safe._ For he knew that once he cracked that shell, there was no going back. The darkness and warmth would leave him.

He waited. Motherless and alone, the chick waited for the inevitable fate he would have to face.

 _I must hatch._

* * *

Oh, how Flocke _hated_ this. He was going at a painfully slow pace, splinters were making their way into his toes, and let's face it- the fear of falling is horrific all by itself. The constant tug of his gut reminded him that gravity was very much in effect here, and that the slightest mistake would send him plummeting to his inevitable death. The fact that he had to constantly look down so he could make sure he had the correct foothold was absolutely torture. The only thing keeping him from freezing in spot was his humming of a random tune. It wasn't one of his mother's songs- it was just made up notes being put together on the spot.

' _Why didn't I stay in the nest? No... Why didn't I stay on the GROUND. I'm never climbing a tree again! I don't think I ever want to FLY at this rate..._ ' Unlike Larimar, he didn't lose his footing once. If he had, he probably would have stopped mid-climb and never moved again, for as long as he lived. Which, considering the situation, wouldn't have been a long wait.

When he finally reached the branch Larimar was resting on, he was shaking like a newly hatched chick. ' _Never again, never again, never again!_ he cried out in his head. After catching his breathe, Flocke turned back to his friend.

"So... Do we have to keep going?" he asked innocently. Part of him hoped she'd say no, but the other part knew they had to keep going. Still... it wouldn't hurt to ask.

* * *

Lolly slid to the ground with a clumsy _thunk_ and regrouped with Skah and Ghost. "Well, at least we're not too far off. Thanks for sticking with me on this." She stretched out a few aches in her legs and wings. A short run on land, then more climbing. She wasn't looking forward to this, but she was getting a lot of valuable practice.

The few meters didn't take long to span on foot, even tiny chick feet. When she reached the base of a tall tree. She had to dig her claws in and hike up the trunk a ways before she reached the first limb, and from there she wove through the branches to get even higher. She panicked at first when she couldn't find the tree her friends were in, and nearly gave up hope until she finally spotted it again. Trees all looked dangerously similar to each other, she noted. When you were surrounded by loads of them it was easy to lose one particular one in the mass of others just like it. With delight, however, she saw that the tree she wanted was just a few trees over.

"Flocke? Larimar?!" she called, hoping she was close enough to be heard. "We're coming for you, OK? We're going to be there soon!"

* * *

Skah acknowledged Lolly's thanks with only a small nod, the job wasn't done yet after all. Lolly had taken off across the small gap in the trees quickly, but Ghost had halted suddenly halfway across the gap. Skah had also thundered to a stop at the base of the tree. Ghost's eyes were narrowed, her fur fluffed up and on end. A small but threatening hiss escaped her open beak. Skah was similarly agitated, "I can smell it too" he hissed quietly towards Ghost.

Ghost began to stalk skillfully towards a patch of bushes a small ways from the tree Larimar and Flocke were stuck up. Skah followed her keeping closer to the trees, two angles were better than one. The acrid metallic smell of blood was strong in the air. But not just any sort of blood, human blood.

A black blur could be seen moving up the tree beside the bushes, all that could be seen of Skah. Ghost kept to the ground circling around until she was looking back on their previous position. It was only then that she could identify what it was that was making her so agitated.

The bloody and broken bones of a human were carelessly dropped into the bushes, carelessly disposed of by something else. A flare of joy spiked inside Ghost at the sight of a dead human. _It serves it right for killing griffins_ she thought venomously.

A similar rush of emotions were coursing through Skah perched up in the tree beholding the scene. But from here he could see the telltale sign of a griffin, an adult griffin. Many thoughts were rushing through his head, but the most intense one was flight. They must get away from this place. While they hadn't come across any other sign of adult griffins this was concrete proof that their was at least one about.

Without bothering to explain Skah barked down at Ghost, "Get back to the others, now." Before he scurried down the tree head first and darted along the tree line to where they had left Lolly.

Ghost was torn, she had just found what SKah had been looking at from the trees, the scuffed up ground and gouge marks left by a griffin taking off and landing. Her right paw trailed in the dust. _What if this was my mother?_ the futile thought drifted through her mind. The pain of losing her mother mingled with the hatred for the humans. They made for one very unhappy and touchy Ghost.

Turning quietly she ran off the way she had come, distancing herself from the scene as quickly as possible.

* * *

"Yes, we do," Larimar answered. She wrapped a stubby little wing around Flocke's back, her trembling slowly coming to a stop. She focused on the tree, on Flocke, and on the sky. Anywhere but the ground. _Just don't look down...don't look down...  
_  
She looked down. After swallowing the puke that filled her beak, she was able to look more closely at the amount of tree left. "We're almost to the ground. I wonder, if we jumped..." She felt her body jerk back up. "Uh, no, that's not a good idea. Maybe - LOLLY!"

Larimar sprang up when she heard her name called. Her face broke into a wide grin. She waved her tail at the three chicks. Ghost darted away, but Larimar was too overjoyed to notice or care. "You found us!"

* * *

Lolly was far too focused to smell anything; the discovery of the bones of a human was unknown to her. Instead she was leaping across the last few trees before she could get to the one she'd been searching for. Hearing her friend's voice had blurred out any other external distraction that may have been left.

"Flock, Larimar! I'm right here in the tree next to yours!" she called from a scraggly pine. The tree didn't grow close enough for her to risk a leap into the hawk's nesting tree, but it was close enough that Lolly could see her friends. "Are you guys alright? Can you climb down safely?"

If the answer was "no," Lolly was already working out a plan to get to them. This tree wasn't close enough, but on the other side of the tree there was one that was. She could also climb down out of her tree and up into the other, but that might take too much energy, she thought.

* * *

Flocke looked down again to get an answer for Lolly. It was getting easier to look down without bile collecting in his throat, but it still made him slightly dizzy. Judging the remaining tree, he came to a verdict.

"I... I think so!" he called back to Lolly. He was starting to shake again with the idea of continuing. He needed to lift the mood somehow- make himself less scared. He turned to Larimar. "Just think: When we're big griffins and can fly, we're gonna look back on this and laugh." he said awkwardly. He tried laughing nervously after his statement, but it didn't help. He may laugh later, but right now he felt more like crying in hopeless terror.

' _Maybe I can make it a game..._ ' he thought. But how could one make this a game? They couldn't race down- they might trip up in their haste and fall to their doom. What game could allow them to have fun, forget about their problems, and allow them to get down all at once?

Looking at another tree in thought, Flocke noticed a couple of squirrels scampering around the tree. Thinking back, Flocke remembered when Larimar pretended to be a lizard. It had been a funny display, and had looked fun.

"Hey Larry? Can we pretend to be squirrels?" he asked his friend. He hoped this would get his mind off climbing down. Without waiting for her answer, he began imagining himself as a big brown squirrel. He clucked his beak, and mimicked the sound of squirrel chatter. "I'm a squirrel, and the best climber ever!" he exclaimed. He turned to Larimar to see if she was following his example. "Are you a squirrel too?" he asked her, while still pretending he was actually a small brown rodent.


	31. - - Part II, Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

 _If we even survive that long._ Larimar's expression became oddly solemn at Flocke's remark. The energetic young griffin didn't just seem hopeful; he sounded certain that they would grow up. The way Flocke said it...you almost felt like it HAD to happen. _I'll fly. I'll spread my wings, and I'll go up into the sky like a hawk. I'll see the stars and the moon and the very tops of the clouds-higher than any bird ever flew.  
_  
She cocked her head at Flocke's odd request. "I guess...?" She spread herself out, hunkered down so she looked more like a squirrel, and curled her tasseled lion tail in a question mark shaped curve. It was suddenly awkward to be roleplaying another animal. She pressed her beak into her fluffy breast, hiding her face in embarrassment.

Once Flocke started, Larimar warmed up more to the idea. It wasn't silly anymore when someone else was doing it. She noticed Flocke was starting to make his way down the tree trunk as well, incorporating it into his game. _That's a pretty good idea!  
_  
Larimar did her best impression of a squirrel call. "Chit-chit-chit!" she cried, scaring several real squirrels on the nearby tree. She went a few steps down head-first. "Come on, let's find some acorns at the bottom of this tree." She tried to move fast, like a squirrel would, but after a few slips and too-close calls, she settled with a slow but steady pace.

* * *

"Yeah!" Flocke was excited. His fear of falling was nearly completely forgotten. Nearly... He still had the sense to not lose his footing, but his confidence was definitely growing. Especially since Larimar had joined his game. "And once we find the acorns, we can bury them away! Hey... I wonder why squirr- I mean... I wonder why we bury acorns. Why don't we eat them right away?" Flocke had seen a few squirrels burying their catch the day before, and only just now questioned their strange logic. Shaking his head, Flocke went back to their game.

He saw an acorn hanging from a branch above the one he was currently on, and quickly (but carefully) went and got it, before returning to Larimar. He turned so he was facing away from her, and when he turned back, one of side of his face was puffed out. He had stuck the acorn in his mouth and was mimicking the way squirrels carried them.

"Looph! I goft an apcorn!" he exclaimed with glee. His speech was off, because of the acorn in his beak, but he was pretty sure Larimar could understand him anyways. With his prize in his mouth, Flocke continued down. "I'm gonna burphy it!" The fun he was having overtook his mind, and before he knew it, he had made it to the ground. He looked up to Larimar. "Comph on! Almofts there!"

* * *

"Yes, good! Keep going on like that!" Lolly called from her own tree. She wasn't about to play squirrel with them, not when she had sworn to be serious, but hearing their playful banter eased her heart greatly. She even laughed aloud when Flocke got an acorn.

She descended her own tree level by level with them, sometimes dropping past them by accident and having to wait for them to catch up. The closer they got to the ground, the more hopeful she got.

"Ghost! Skah! They're coming down!" she called to her other friends, not knowing where they were. With a pang she hoped that they weren't in any trouble. She'd neglected to keep an eye on her new friends because of Flocke and Larimar's predicament. "They're tougher than we are, they'll be fine." she whispered to herself. Still, she kept her eyes and ears open for any sign of the pair.

* * *

Larimar laughed. Flocke was actually an adept climber when he wasn't worrying about the safety of it. Her sides shook now not from fear but amusement as she watched her friend get into the character of a squirrel.

She rocked back and forth, pondering over Flocke's question. "I don't know. Maybe we're just too dumb. I mean, look, we haven't even figured out how to fly yet!" Larimar wings flapped to steady herself, contradicting what she just said. Seeing how close she was too the ground, Larimar started becoming a bit bold. She came to a stop as she went over her idea in her head.

Then, without a word to any of her friends, she sprung off the trunk. Too late, she discovered that she was _much_ too high to jump down. She shrieked, her limbs flailing around and her mind drowning in fear. It was only a couple of feet, but to Larimar it could have been miles down.

She hit the ground hard and tumbled away from the tree, screaming and yelling the all the while. When she finally came to her senses, she was sprawled out with her right wing spread out, her hind legs curled, and her front legs clutching her head. The wound in her side had reopened. Otherwise, she was in adequate condition. "I'm okay!" she peeped cheerfully.

A flash of something to her left caught her eye. Ignoring the other chicks and the scent of blood she now picked up, she started limping toward it.

* * *

The moment Flocke saw Larimar jump out of the tree, he panicked. ' _What in the world is she thinking?!_ ' he cried in his head. He spit out his acorn as he backed up; watching as she flew through the air. She landed a ways behind him and began rolling away further.

Flocke looked to the direction Lolly's voice had come from, then back to where Larimar had rolled into the brush of the forest. He let out an exasperated sigh, before quickly trotting after his friend. He nearly missed her, but he managed to see her limping away further into the forest.

' _Where is she going? Did the fall make her dizzy? Wait... is she limping? She's hurt!?_ ' Flocke rushed after Larimar, catching up with her easily. He fell in step next to her, oblivious to what she was looking for.

"Lar, you're hurt. Are you okay? We need to find the others; maybe Skah and Ghost can help your limp. Where are we going?" he asked the last question when he finally realized Larimar was looking for something. He looked ahead, and saw the same gleam she had. Entranced, he followed Larimar's example, and headed for it with her beside him.

* * *

Skah came to a halt a few feet behind Lolly. He was panting slightly from his exertions, so he stopped for a moment gathering his breath and inspecting the scene before him. The two chicks had been able to move their way down the tree on their own, with some encouragement from each other and Lolly. During his moment of thought Ghost materialised beside him. Before he could mention anything to her Larimar decided to perform her jumping stunt.

She came to a halt a short ways from the pair and then proceeded to move away, something had caught her attention. Skah didn't like this one bit and decided to take control of the situation again. "Flocke, Larimar, hurry, we have to get out of here before those birds come back again, we may not be as lucky the second time around".

* * *

"Yeah, just a bruise," Larimar said offhandedly. She gave Skah a quick glance. He was correct, she just had to find out what that glimmer was coming from. A few brown bushes looked like they were growing over it. She tugged at them, and they easily slid off of their precious secret. A pile of plants that could only be called a nest in the loosest of terms was thrown around a most peculiar object.

"Hey! Look at this," she said loudly, waving her tail to signal its importance. She'd never seen an oilspill egg before. It shimmered like the scales of those fish, but much darker, entrancing her as she walked in a circle around it. She placed a foot on it, tapping the shell. It was warm. Very warm.

 _A gem._ The first thing that came to her mind when she studied the object was the piece of sapphire she'd found in her nest. It was like her mothers! The thought excited her even more. She rolled it over, noting the strange shape. It was not spherical, like her mom's nest gem, but narrower at one end. Ovalloid. It also seemed much smoother than the blue stone, almost like...an eggshell.

Larimar paid this information no heed. She'd never seen a shell colored like this before, so how could it be a griffin egg? She started pushing it out of the nest. _My own shiny thing! It'll be like my mother's. It can be my special thing. Flocke has a feather, Lolly has an eggshell, and I have a big, shiny rock like Mommy's._ Her chest swelled with pride. _I've really outdone the rest with this one!_

* * *

Lolly breathed a sigh of relief when her paws were on the ground once more. She was worried about the limp Larimar now sported, but far too overcome with emotion to ask, and besides Flocke had done the asking for her. She made a mental note to keep an eye on her.

"Alright! We need to get away from here and from those birds. Any ideas what direction we'll take, Skah?" she asked. She had a new respect for the pair now. More than experienced, they had proven themselves loyal and that was a huge plus for Lolly. Anyone who helped her save her friends was a friend of hers for life.

It didn't take long for her to notice that Larimar was looking at something in the bushes, but she couldn't see what. "What are you looking at, Larimar? We need to get going!"

* * *

Ghost identified Larimar's object for an egg almost immediately. She looked at it with a mixture of intrepidation and worry. Firstly what was it doing here? So close to the birds nest and so close to the human remains that Skah and her had found. She kept these worries to her self though, instead turning to more practical matters, for Larimar would not be able to move very quickly with the egg in tow. For that matter none of them would be able to move the egg very fast.

Skahh came to the rescue then. "Lolly quickly, come with me", as he jogged over the where Larimar was rolling the egg along the ground. He had spied a perfect shaped stick that they could use to support it between the two of them. He dragged the stick out of the bush and into Larimar's path, before stopping to wait for her.

* * *

Lolly bounded to Skah's side. "You needed me?" She looked at the stick questioningly and then at Larimar. It was then she saw the egg; she'd seen enough broken eggshells to know what it was. She'd never seen one intact before, though, and was frozen in surprise for a moment.

A thousand questions flooded her mind, but she knew no one would have the answers yet so she decided to keep them to herself for now. "What would you like me to do?" she repeated.


	32. - - Part II, Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Flocke looked at the egg curiously. It just looked like a big, shiny rock to him. But it was pretty nonetheless. When Larimar started moving it around like she was going to keep it, Flocke tilted his head in confusion.

"Umm... Larry, how are you going to carry that around everywhere?" he wasn't going to tell her not to keep it, but it perplexed him that she believed she could bring it with her. Flocke was able to keep his feather tucked into his wing, while Lolly could keep her eggshell on her head. He doubted Larimar would be able to push this rock everywhere they went.

' _Why does she want this again?_ ' he wondered to himself. It was just a rock... wasn't it?

* * *

"We're goingto have to create a sling of sorts to carry the egg, you and me". Skah had an idea to make Larimar carry the egg with Lolly, but she wouldn't be big enough to do it properly and would just slow them down even more.

So there was nothing for it other than for him to carry it with Lolly. "If we wedge the egg in the fork of this branch we can pick it up from either end and carry it between us".

He stopped for a moment thinking through his hurried plan, "We're going to need something to secure it, like a vine or something" he mumbled under his breath.

Meanwhile Ghost had her eyes on the sky, the pair of birds were still circling a ways off, but it wouldn't be long before they remembered their food.

* * *

"An egg?" Flocke overheard Skah's conversation with Lolly. He turned back to Larimar and the egg with a bright smile. "Wow, Lar, you found an egg! Are you going to be its mommy when it hatches?" he asked innocently. He couldn't really picture Larimar as a mommy, but only because he saw her as a sister. How could a baby take care of a baby? He decided he'd have to ponder on that and come up with an answer later.

Looking around, Flocke tried to figure out where they were. He remembered the view from the nest, and tried to pinpoint where the river was according to his memory. He liked keeping a sense of direction- it made him feel safer. He wanted to be able to keep track of where he was in the world. Remembering the way they got down, which way they were facing in the nest, and the way he was currently facing, Flocke was able to figure out which way the river was. He wasn't 100% sure, but he was willing to bet feather for it. (Not his mother's feather, though. That was too precious.)

With satisfaction, Flocke turned back towards the others. He would have to learn how to keep track of their direction. Being grounded meant it was easy to get lost, so knowing your way around would definitely be a perk.

* * *

"We'll all take care of it, Flocke. But if Larimar wants to be its mommy, she can." Lolly said absentmindedly. She was looking for something to complete the sling like Skah had asked. There was a strange ivy-like plant that liked to grow up certain trees in this area; Lolly went to the nearest and pulled down some vines, chewing them with her beak until they severed.

Diligently she brought them to Skah. "For the sling." she said. "Good thing there's so many of these vines around. Do you think these will work?" She allowed herself to gaze at the egg for a while. Was it even alive? How long had it been alone? Was there a girl chick or a boy chick inside? She simply couldn't tell. _"If it's alive, we'll take good care of it. We HAVE to. We can't just leave it here to die."  
_

* * *

Larimar rolled the egg up onto Skah's branch with her beak. She didn't question him because of her hurry to get away from the birds nest, understanding what the stick was for the moment he set it down. She checked by wobbling it roughly before reaching down to pick up her end of the makeshift carrier. To her, it was just a piece of rock. There was no reason to treat it delicately.

"Thanks," she chirped to Skah through the wood in her mouth. Despite the dark chick's rather off-putting atmosphere, he was always very helpful and had become almost like her role model. She gave Ghost an odd look, wondering why she was staring at Larimar's "nest-gem" with so much caution. When Lolly came over, she proudly caressed it. "Look what I found!"

* * *

Lolly flinched when she saw how roughly Larimar was treating the egg (which frankly wasn't enough to do any harm, but overprotective Lolly still went into mommy-mode over it) Lolly darted forward to adjust the egg more gently. "I see that, Larimar." Lolly said a little too sweetly. "Were there any others where you found it?" She certainly hoped there weren't, as how would they care for more than one egg? How would they carry them?

"Was there any sign of a grown-up near this?" she added when the thought struck her. There was no nest in sight, so she wasn't exactly certain how this egg had gotten out here on its own. Not much she knew of could do it, and those she did know of that could hadn't left their scent behind. Of course, Lolly didn't know everything.

* * *

Larimar frowned, her left foot digging around in the dirt as she thought. "No, I didn't see any big griffins around it. I don't think I checked for any more of them." She spotted a few splashes of red on the shiny surface. _Eew, blood! How did that get there?_ She started rubbing it off, violently rocking the chick inside. Larimar looked back up at Lolly as she did this, still puzzling over the chick's interest in it.

"It smelled like...like that animal...humans! Yes, it smelled a bit like them back there." She hadn't seen the dead human or griffin that Skah, Ghost, and Lolly had spotted when they first arrived. All she recognized was that same, lingering scent from the old nesting site. It didn't seem to bother her very much, but deep down, she was filled with fear and hatred for the creatures that had fought her flock.

She became distracted by this, her movements becoming careless. "Oh, no!" she shrieked. She dropped her end of the stick in panic and clutched the egg. "I broke it! I broke it!" Larimar held back a sob. The breaks in the surface started to spread...almost like...an egg.

 _Oh._ She saw the tiny egg-tooth poking through the porous surface. _Boy, am I stupid._

* * *

Flocke bounded over to them the moment he heard the chipping. "Look, look! It's hatching!" he said excitedly. He laughed a bit before saying, "I think you shook it out, Larry!" He wasn't worried about her rough treatment. If the egg was hatching, that meant the chick inside was fine. Therefore, Flocke didn't worry about it.

Flocke was very excited for this new chick. For one thing, he'd finally be bigger than something. (Seeing as he _had_ grown since hatching, it was just unnoticeable against the other chicks.) For another, it was a new friend that he could play with. He slightly hoped it would be a boy. He didn't know why. His relationship with the girls was better than his shaky one with Skah, so you'd think he'd hope for another girl. However, he also remembered the few moments he got to spend with Rourke. Flocke just knew that they would have been best friends by now. He hoped that he could be friends with this chick, the way he would have been friends with Rourke.

Sitting by Lolly, Flocke waited for the chick to hatch. He wondered how long it would take.

* * *

He, for that was all he was to himself, the one and only "him", kicked and pecked as hard as he could. Never had he put so much effort into doing anything before. It quickly exhausted the chick, but he persisted. _A voice! I've heard a voice! My mother must have returned._ He was shaken quite roughly a few minutes after he heard the voice. He took his as meaning that his mother desired him to be out. Comforted by the thought of another griffin on the other side, he started working to get out.

He never stopped to think that this voice sounded nothing like his mother, or that there were multiple voices besides hers. No, he forced himself into believing it was her. She'd been gone so long. _I probably just forgot what she sounds like._ He wanted-he NEEDED-to have it be his mother. If it wasn't...what hope did he have?

He became tired and stopped for a few minutes. For a tiny chick, hatching was extremely hard work. Light was coming in from the two huge cracks in front of his beak. He rocked around, upset by this change. What else new and scary was waiting for him out there?

* * *

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Larimar grumbled. Of _course_ it was an egg! Why on Earth did she assume it wasn't one just because of its color? She's never even seen the eggs of the other chicks here. She looked at Skah. "Why is it all shiny like that?"

She felt a twinge of sadness. For a moment she had though she had something like her mother, when all along she'd had nothing. _Now a new chick we have to find food for. At least we'll have a new friend._


	33. - Book 1, Part III (Chick Stage C)

**Chicks of Destiny**  
 **Book 1**

* * *

PART III:

CHICK STAGE C

* * *

In which our flock continues  
down its winding path,  
with two new additions  
and much peril up ahead.


	34. - - Part III, Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

"Least we won't have to carry it in a sling for too long. I can carry a chick on my back easily enough once it hatches." Lolly said with pride and relief. So it was alive, then. She tapped her own eggshell reassuringly and tied the vines securely around the egg. "Come on, it should hatch in a place that's safe from those birds. We'll also have to get it some food."

With a few days of growth on them that the chick wouldn't have, Lolly wondered how they would compare. Would it be a large chick like herself, a skinny chick like Flocke, or an average sized chick like the others?

* * *

Despite her initial misgivings some mothering instinct kicked in for Ghost. "Larimar, talk to it. You have to tell it were taking it somewhere safe".

Skah on the other hand had already passed the problem on as being solved for the moment. He had moved to the next problem, where to go now? He scanned the surroundings, much of it was trees and the like. He had to find somewhere close, for they didn't want to carry the egg to far. Once it hatched they would be able to find somewhere more suitable to go.

He was still casting his mind around for a solution when it suddenly came to him. During the chase to find Flocke and Larimar they had traveled through the forest and on the way they had passed a very large tree that had crashed down through the canopy and onto the forest floor. If it was hollowed out it would be a perfect place for them to hide for now. Even if it wasn't they could construct rather easily a shelter of sorts from branches and leaves.

Making the decision, he spun around to face the way they had come. "We passed a fallen tree on the way here, it will be perfect for sheltering in", he announced his plan to the rest of the group.

* * *

"Okay!" Flocke responded to Skah's decision. Part of him wanted to go back to the river. The place had grown on him after two nights of sleeping there, and he really wanted a place to call "home". But he knew better. The river was too open, and mean animals seemed to go there too often. It wasn't safe.

But the forest wasn't exactly safe either. They couldn't stay in one place and hope to survive. They needed a hidden place. The forest was okay for a while, but they needed a place that was safe indefinitely. A place that would be safe until they were old enough to protect themselves. For some reason, Flocke had a feeling that such a place would be near the river, but the thought might just be fueled by his internal need to go back.

Because of this, he kept his beak shut. Skah had more experience than him, so it might be better to just follow his lead. Flocke didn't want to say something, only to turn out wrong. So instead, he only spoke half of what his mind said.

"Where can we be safe for good?" It was better to ask questions. You can't be wrong for asking a question. You can't mess up. Flocke walked up next to Skah, waiting for both an answer and for the older male to start walking so he could follow.

* * *

Lolly readied herself to shoulder her part of the sling. "That's good enough for me, lead on!" She would be happy when they got there, her body wanted to collapse where she stood from all the action and emotion they'd faced today. The heron had long been used up and though she was hungry once more she was more tired than anything.

She stifled a yawn as she waited for someone to take up the other half of the sling and for the others to get going.

* * *

"Uh..." Larimar eyed the egg with wariness and discomfort. "Uh, it's okay. You can come out. We'll help you." She put a wing on it, quickly withdrawing when it started wobbling again. She thought back to her own day of hatching. _It must be awful tired by now._ The little tip of beak that was poking out peeped a few times. It was too garbled and soft for Larimar to make out. Something about Mommy?

She winced. What was she going to do? Say she was its mother? She couldn't imagine putting someone else through the pain of finding out they were an orphan. When the chick stopped pipping, she sprang into action to help it. Being careful not to put too much weight on it, she started prying apart the shell for it. A bunch of gooey stuff got all over her feet. "Yuck!" she yelped, wiping it off on the ground before it could dry off.

Larimar decided it wasn't a good idea to break the shell for it. There was just too big of a risk that she would injure the griffin inside (and that fluid from inside was disgusting). "Just a bit more!" she chirped encouragingly.

* * *

 _Just a bit more._ Larimar's words echoed through the hatching chick's mind. He got over the shock of seeing her smashing her way through the shell and started pushing with renewed vigor. With a powerful shove outwards using all of his limbs, he finally made that last, deciding crack. The egg lost its shape, falling to pieces all around him. He shivered, curling up on the glittering shards.

Griffins! He looked up at the chicks surrounding him. They looked...small. Nothing like he thought his mother would be. _Oh, well._ "Mommy!" he cried happily. He stumbled toward the nearest one. The griffin was small, bright blue, and male, but he didn't care. He was out of the egg, so it had to be his mom.

"What?! No!" The lime green female made a grab at his tail. "Flocke-what-no! Flocke's not Mommy."

"Then where is she?" he asked anxiously.

* * *

Skah was about to answer the questions directed at him, and then the egg hatched. _Argh_ he cursed mentally, _We don't need that now_. He actually cracked a small smile when the little fella, for it was a male, approached Flocke and promptly called him mother. Genuinely finding the situation funny SKah remarked, "Uh-oh, thats going to be trouble Flocke".

Unbeknownst to the rest of the group Ghost had already slipped away, scouting the area ahead, searching for the tree that Skah had seen. It didn't take her long to find it, it wasn't really that far away, but the cover was good. The birds were not likely to find them their.

* * *

Flocke giggled a bit as Larimar tried pulling the new chick away from him. He scowled amusingly at Skah's joke before he pointed to Larimar and said, "I'm a boy silly. Larimar is your mommy." He then bent his head and gently nudged the chick towards Larimar. He didn't feel right about telling the chick that his real mother was gone. Even so, Larimar was technically its mother now, so until the chick was fed, rested, and ready for sad news, they could keep the information to themselves.

He sat back down after the chick spotted Larimar. He was secretly jumping up and down in excitement. The chick was male! He could play with it, and teach it things like how to catch lizards and how to sing and how to climb tre- Nope. Tree climbing was something Skah and the others could teach it. Flocke was definitely staying away from tree climbing until he could fly.

As he watched the chick in concealed excitement, he thought of something. "What's your name gonna be?" he asked the chick. He wondered if Larimar should name the chick, or if it should name itself. Maybe its real mother named it before she left.

* * *

Lolly shoved away the now useless sling and began cleaning away the eggshell pieces, starting with the larger ones. "Can't leave these around. They're so shiny they'll attract something's attention. They sure caught Larimar's." With a pang she realized that this would mean her own shell would have to go too, so she slipped it off her head.

"I never knew you, anyway." she sighed, talking to the mother who wasn't there. "Can't keep lugging you around if there's nothing to miss. Skah was right, it was time to let it go.

"Thank you for helping me find this earlier, Flocke, but now there's things that can see us from the sky. This gold eggshell would have us found out in no time. Though it really hurts..." she paused to swallow down a lump that had suddenly risen up, "It's for everyone's safety that I leave this behind now. Especially now that we have a younger chick to look after."

She cracked the eggshell with a good stomp and brushed it out of sight with the others, mingling gold shards with iridescent black.

* * *

The sterner more controlling side of Skah resurfaced quickly with him barking orders again. "Come one less standing around, we need to move from here. Follow me".

Without waiting for the others to reply he began moving off in the direction that he could smell Ghost was, sliding through the undergrowth keeping his wings flat to his back so that they didn't catch in the branches and other forest matter.

Ghost had managed to find a suitable place for them to sleep. The tree had indeed been a large tree which had a rotted out section in the base. This section continued a ways up and down, inside the tree, so that it was hollow. It would more than accompany the lot of them. It was not damp inside for the tree had fallen onto high ground, the drainage was adequate. The practical side of Ghost took a hold then, she gathered some dry leaves with her beak and tail and pushed them inside to use them as bedding.


	35. - - Part III, Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Flocke cringed as Lolly broke her eggshell. He knew that had to be tough. He couldn't imagine ruining his mother's feather. It would tear at his heart. Silently, he pressed the feather closer to his side. He had learned the difference between his own fluff, and the slightly rougher texture of his mother's feather, so he could now tell if it was there or not without actually looking. Feeling it rub against his side, he quietly sighed in relief.

He knew Lolly was right about her eggshell, but he still felt bad for her. He wondered if he would ever have to get rid of his feather. He hoped not. He loved the feather, because it reminded him of his heritage. His mother had been beautiful. She had sounded loving and caring. She was everything he wished he had. He wanted to be like her.

Seeing that Skah had begun off, he quickly trotted to catch up. Every now and then he'd turn his head back to check up on the girls and the new chick. He stayed a pace behind Skah out of respect, but was still following closely. When he saw the hollow in the fallen tree, he became excited. Seeing Ghost put bedding inside reminded him of the hidey hole him and the girls slept in the first night of his life. Quickly, he gathered some moss strands and hung them over the entrance. Now, only the griffin chicks would know that there was a hollow here.

He turned to Larimar and the new chick. Fir some reason, he felt like they should go in first.

* * *

Lolly followed the rest quietly after disposing of the last of the shells. She felt a little bit hollow now but she also felt a huge weight lift off her chest. She would appreciate it later on when she'd had more rest and more time to truly sort things out, but for now she moved like she was as hollow as her empty eggshell.

Flocke had done good work on disguising the lair, she was impressed. She wasn't sure how long they could stay here, but she knew they'd be safe for a little while. She needed a distraction, so she patiently waited for her turn to speak with the new chick and introduce herself properly.

* * *

"Mommy?" The chick looked over to the green female Flocke had been talking about. He started walking over to her, but his steps were all uncoordinated and clumsy.

"Yes...?" Larimar gave Flocke a curious glance before answering. She smiled a little as the black chick came toward her. _Did I walk like that when I was a day old?_ she wondered. She remembered how difficult it had been to learn to move correctly. For a barely a week, she felt like she'd grown up a lot since then. "I'm Larimar," she told him. "That's Flocke, Lolly, Ghost, and Matoskah." She pointed to each chick with her tail as she said their name. They all slurred together, confusing the poor chick. "Come on, Ghost found a safe place."

Before the chick could ask any questions, she started nudging him along, forcing him to move his feet. He got the hang of it after a few falls. Larimar did her best to look calm and patient, but inside she was near panic. _Mommy? I'm not a mommy! Oh, what am I going to do? I'm going to have to tell him. Not now, but he'll figure out we're not parents soon._ Her heart became as heavy as lead.

She settled down after Lolly, making a little dip in the bedding to rest in. She felt deeply sorry for her friend, if a little distracted by the chick. Lolly had been carrying that shard around since Larimar had first met her. It was just a piece of practically useless shell, but she knew to Lolly, it was the only thing her mother had given her.

* * *

Lolly forced a smile as Larimar and the new chick settled in. "Nice to meet you, little guy. I'm Lolly. Have you got a name?" She was careful in what she said and constantly glanced at Larimar to make sure she wasn't letting anything unpleasant slip out. Flocke had said Larimar was mommy, so she worked with that story.

"I'm a good friend of your mommy's. We met on the day we both hatched. I met Flocke that day too, but you mommy found Ghost and Skah later on."

* * *

Ghost finished her work with the bedding and proceeded to move outside their temporary home. For some reason she felt as if she should leave Larimar and the new chick alone, and plus she felt _caged_ being inside the log with everyone else in their at the same time. So she sat herself down just outside the mouth of their hollow. Inevitably her mind drifted across the days events until it latched onto the encounter with the human remains. Her feelings were still as strong as before, hatred and pain were linked to the humans. While she didn't exactly feel pleasure about seeing the human dead, she did feel that they deserved it for their atrocities against the griffins. Reaching this conclusion, the young chicks resolve hardened even more than it had before. _They will pay._

Skah hung around inside the tree for a short time. He wasn't really paying that much attention to the new chick, or to anyone else. He watched as Ghost drifted outside, he could see that something was troubling her. He waited a few moments, allowing Ghost some time alone before announcing to the rest of the group, or could he call it _his flock_ now? "We need food, stay here while Ghost and I get some", he didn't realise it but his short and brusque manner was becoming more and more common. Again he didn't wait for any reply from the other chicks, instead striding out of the tree purposefully.

Outside Skah almost tripped over Ghost where she laid. Stifling his surprise he reeled off some more orders, "Come, we hunt". His short words had the desired effect on Ghost, who immediately followed Skah. The pair disappeared off into the forest, silently, unseen and unheard.

* * *

"Name?" The little chick closed his eyes, thinking for a moment. He went through every single one of his memories, searching for anything to call himself. "I'm...Shiny."

"What do you mean?" Larimar asked. He was a very plain chick, which was odd, considering the egg he had hatched from. He looked a lot like Skah, except shorter, less muscular, and a little darker. The sticky remains of egg white had dried in clumps in his fur. Larimar tried to preen some of it out, trying to make him look presentable.

"Mommy always called me 'Shiny One' or 'Last Shiny Egg'. I'm not an egg anymore, so I guess I'm just Shiny now?" He snuggled up next to Larimar. "Right?"

"Um, sure. Yeah." Larimar wiggled around, feeling very awkward with the orphaned chick pressed up against her, and it wasn't just because of the gunk he was getting on her. Shiny didn't seem like a very good name, but she couldn't think of anything else at the moment.

After Skah and Ghost left, Larimar found herself wishing she'd gone with them. She wanted to be out learning about hunting, not watching a chick she hadn't even expected to meet. She sighed and continued cleaning Shiny off. _You were the one who brought that egg with you, Larry._

* * *

"Well, I don't know about you, Shiny, but I need some sleep." Lolly laughed kindly. The talk about his mother made something inside her twist up and she was simply too tired to go on much longer. "There's still some daylight out, so hopefully I'll be fully awake to guard tonight. I protect my friends, and I'll protect you too."

She yawned. "If anyone needs me, wake me up, please." What would the next days hold? Hopefully less excitement and more learning, Lolly thought. Better to take things one day at a time before you go worrying about the future. The hazel chick didn't even notice when she'd fallen into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Shiny, huh? I like that name!" Flocke said happily. Who was he to say the chick's name was weird. If that's what his real mother called him, then let it be so. Flocke looked up to see Larimar's face. She looked uncomfortable with the chick. He could understand that. He'd probably be just as uncomfortable if he had stayed "mommy". Honestly, that was the first thing he was going to teach Shiny- the difference between boys and girls... ' _Wait, that sounded weird..._ ' he thought in his head.

"In case you didn't catch it, my name is Flocke! We're gonna be best friends, because we're both boys!" Flocke told Shiny. He took the moment to notice that Shiny was indeed smaller than him (just by a bit) and it made him smile. He made a decision right then and there that he'd protect Shiny, like an older brother. ' _I'll finally be a big brother instead of a little brother!_ ' When Lolly fell asleep, Flocke decided something. He turned to Larimar.

"Let's let her sleep all night. I'll take first watch. She, Skah and Ghost are probably tired from chasing after us. And you need to sleep with your baby, so I'll keep watch first." he chuckled a bit when he called Shiny Larimar's baby. He actually didn't intend on waking anyone up tonight. Everyone was tired because of him, so it was only right he took full shift. He was confident that he could stay up all night, and the job was to keep a look out for danger, not fight it. If danger came, he'd wake the others up. Simple.

With determination, Flocke walked to the entrance of the hollow and waited for Skah and Ghost to return.

* * *

A paw inched forward in front of her, then another, then the back half of Ghost's body flattened to the ground caught up with the front half. She paused for moment, holding her breath, feeling the moment. The tension and anger from before had long since been released in the patience of stalking. Skah and Ghost had moved a small distance away from the tree and found a few small lizards. Looking at each other they had unspokenly agreed that such small prey would be useless to such a large group of chicks now. So instead they would target something bigger, something more worthwhile. They were aiming high now.

They had come across a small game trail etched into the landscape. It did not take long for them to find something on the path, deer. The pair had eyed the quite large females with hunger and desire, but both knew that they were still out of their reach. But if they were quick and careful using all of their skills they thought they would be able to take down one of the fawns. Ghost had inspected the options, searching for one small enough that they could handle, but large enough to feed them all. She had finally settled on a few days old female fawn. She was adventurous, often scooting away from her mothers side, leaving her protection.

So the pair of chicks had circled around the grazing deer and were now deep into stalking closer and closer, waiting for the perfect moment. Skah was on the right side, Ghost the left. Skah would be tripping it up and pinning it down, while Ghost went for the killer blow. It was remarkable how close the pair had gotten, the low forest light and their plain coats had aided them greatly. Ghost took one more shuffle forward before settling back down, her legs gathered beneath herself. She waited for Skah to make the first move.

Skah had a clear line of sight towards both the target fawn and its mother. He knew that their first instinct would be to run, the fawn would follow its mother. He also knew that they would easily outrun his comparatively stubby legs. So he knew that the first strike had to be the last strike. There was one shot at this. He wasn't as close as Ghost was, but then he wanted more momentum behind him to knock the fawn off of its feet. That was the key, once they had it on the ground, they should be safe. The fawn took another step away from its mother, another step closer to their dinner. Now! Every fibre in his body screamed at him that the moment was right.

Skah erupted from the bushy undergrowth like streak of black lightning. Adjacent to him Ghost was also moving quickly in their pincer move. Six bounds later Skah contacted the fawns rear legs, knocking them out from underneath it. The fawn stumbled and almost regained its footing before Ghost was launching herself at its neck. She latched on with her claws, her grip solid. The extra weight on the fawns neck forced it down.

Skah made to grab at the fawns rump but was met instead by a flailing hoof. It caught him in the leg, causing pain to flash down the side of his body. He was lucky for their was no telltale crack of breaking bones, bruising was inevitable. The temporary forgotten Skah attempted again to secure the rear of the fawn.

Ghosts beak flashed out then, grabbing a mouthful of the fawns neck before flashing away again. The first strike had not done much but to tear fur out. Furiously Ghost took a second dig at the fawns neck. This time she succeeded in her task, opening the wind pipe.

The fawns death certain now, the pair of chicks positioned themselves so that the fawns struggles wouldn't allow it to break free. Ghost weighed down its head, while Skah stayed on the rump eyeing the hooves with wariness now.

A minute later the fawns struggles were down as it let out one last rattling breath. Ghost dropped back from the kill tired but satisfied. Skah on the other hand was beginning to feel the pain of his injury now. He gingerly tried to stand on his leg, but winced in pain. For a split second he thought, _how is Ghost going to be able to get the kill back to the others?_ Before another thought or rather memory whispered in his mind, _you are the future Matoskah._ His mothers words strengthened him for now.

"Hurry, lets get this back to the tree", he gruffly spoke to Ghost. Ghost could see the pain in Skah's face, but she knew he wouldn't want her to waste time mentioning it. Instead the pair began the laborious task of dragging the kill back the way they had come.

* * *

"Yay!" Shiny said, his little wings flapping with jubilation. He had a friend! "Flocke," he repeated. He grinned at the azure chick.

"Okay." Larimar could feel her eyelids growing heavy from the long day. She'd lost count of how many opportunities she'd had to die today. _But I'm still alive. That's all that matters._ She rolled onto her back, her wings spread out beneath her.

A new aching had entered her heart, her mind, and her wings. She knew no amount of stretching or rest would get rid of it. She'd seen the world in a new way, an endless sky that was calling for her. _I will fly_. It was her destiny. Her little, stubby wings - one day they would carry her over everything she had ever known. Now that she had seen what flight could do, there was no way she was ever giving up on this dream.

She slumped over, letting all herself relax into sleep. "Larrmar? Mommy?" She felt tiny claws scratching at her back. Shiny started to become distressed as she refused to reply.

"Lar- _i_ -mar," she corrected. Grumbling, she rolled back over and nestled him up against her belly. Shiny smiled, quickly falling asleep beside her warmth.


	36. - - Part III, Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Flocke reflected the smile that shone on Shiny's face. He was going to enjoy being his friend. When Larimar pulled Shiny to her side Flocke smiled. She was _not_ enjoying being mommy, and it amused him. As funny as it was though, he knew he'd help her take care of Shiny. He wasn't going to let her take care of an hour old chick, alone, when she was only a few days old herself.

Turning back towards the fading light of day, Flocke waited for the others to return. He looked up into the multi-colored sky, and watched as the colors changed into darker shades. He could hear the night critters beginning to come out. Crickets were chirping, and the hoots of large birds could be heard in the distance. Normally Flocke felt tired by this time, but for once, he actually felt just as awake as the animals surrounding him.

Taking in a deep breath, Flocke let the evening chill enter his nostrils. He didn't know why, but he felt like he was going to enjoy the night.

* * *

Only a minute or so's walk away Skah and Ghost labored on. They thought that they hadn't gone far but pulling something twice your combined weight made any distance seem great. And Skah's pain was returning.

They stopped for a moments breath, they were only 15 metres away now. Gathering their last reserves of strength using more than their fair share of determination they hauled the food the last few metres depositing it a small distance away from the tree so as not to lead predators straight to their bolt hole.

Skah collapsed sideways, exhausted and closed his eyes. Ghost was not in much better shape, but she had enough energy to call out to Flocke, who she could see standing at the mouth of their den. "Flocke, we have food", her voice rang clear through the quiet, before she too dropped down to rest.

* * *

Flocke looked away from the sky when he heard Ghost call out. He smiled broadly when he saw the food, but it was quickly swept away by a frown when he saw Skah's collapsed form. Flocke quickly looked into the cave and said, "Food's here guys, get up.", before trotting over to the older two. He didn't know if they heard him or not. Lolly was probably too deep in sleep to have heard him, but Larimar and Shiny might have. He didn't have time to make sure- he wanted to know what was wrong with Skah. (And he wanted to eat, but I digress...)

"What happened?" he asked worriedly. There didn't seem to be any injuries, the two just seemed exhausted. However, Flocke didn't mistake the flash of pain that flew across Skah's eyes. He lent closer to the older male, though kept a respectable distance. "Are you okay Matoskah?" he asked quietly. As hungry as Flocke was, he wasn't going to start eating if one of his companions was hurt.

* * *

"Got kicked", Skah grunted, "nothings broken though". Skah rolled over facing away from the food. His appetite was gone for now, lost in pain. In truth his leg was so painful that it could of been broken, but he could support himself on it so he thought it couldn't be. Flocke was still hovering around so Skah in moment of softness joked, "No tree climbing for me for a couple of days".

Ghost set about opening to carcass so that they could get to the softer insides. The younger chicks wouldn't have the strength to tear through the outer skin. Once she had succeeded to open the kill up she tore several strips of meat of gulping them down whole. After several minutes of this she tore a few strips of meat off and dragged them over to Skah. "You have to eat to Skah", she whispered quietly before sitting down and directing her strong gaze upon her friend. She wasn't going to move until he ate.

* * *

Flocke laughed lightly at Skah's joke. "Yeah? Me neither... Too many birds." he softly joked back. He walked over to the carcass and began digging in. It tasted great. When he was done, he walked over near Skah and Ghost and laid down. He stayed alert, making sure to not let himself get sleepy. "I'm gonna take first watch tonight." he told the two. "Lolly is exhausted, Larimar has Shiny to look after, and you two did the most work out of all of us today, so you deserve to sleep..." he paused for a moment, before continuing. "I'm sorry about today. I shouldn't have climbed so high. I wasn't thinking. I won't do it again, I promise." he said quietly. Not only did he get caught so the others had to go save him, but he also put Larimar in danger. He made a mental note to be more careful from then on out.

"But on the bright side," he said weakly. "We found Shiny because of it!" he laughed, but there was no humor behind it. Even with the happy note, the cons far outweighed the pros. Flocke tilted his head in apology towards Skah. "I really am sorry."

* * *

Getting somewhat exasperated, Skah forced himself to eat the meat that Ghost had brought him. He then ignored her completely. Flocke's sincere apology forced Skah to not be so gruff about things, "Its fine Flocke." But he added as an after thought, "Maybe a bit more thinking wouldn't hurt though." He decided that he needed the warmth of the den, so he pulled himself to his feet and worked his way to the den, hopping along on three legs. Parting he reed curtain he stumped over to Lolly and dropped down near her. He wasn't that out of sorts that he would break his normal distancing behaviour.

Ghost was pleased when Skah ate the meat she had saved for him. She was less pleased when he ignored her afterwards. When he hopped away she made to follow him, before changing her mind and deciding to stay with Flocke for a while. She was tired, but she was a creature of the night, it was when she felt the most comfortable, flitting through the shadows, unseen and unheard. She rolled over so that she was next to Flocke, surprising him. "You know, he's not as cold as he seems", she remarked.

* * *

Flocke watched the entrance of the hollow, as if Skah were still limping through it. He had been surprised when Ghost rolled up next to him. He didn't feel like he was getting very close to the older two, social wise, so the act was somewhat startling. However, he got over it quickly, and looked back to the hollow's entrance. He pondered on Ghost's words, and knew they were true. He thought about it for maybe a second before realizing why Skah was so cold to him.

"He just wants to be in charge." he replied without thinking. Then he realized how insulting his words could sound. "Well, what I mean is- I can feel it too. There's a need to be the one making the decisions and to tell everyone what to do. I can feel, deep down inside, a need to tell Skah to go away, because I want to tell everyone what to do."

But I don't like the feeling. My head is saying, _Be in charge_ , but I know that, that's not me. I'm not an in charge griffin. It makes me feel mean and bossy. It makes me think I don't like Skah, but I know that's not really true. I think Skah is really cool! He's stronger than me, smarter than me and bigger than me. I want to be like him, but I don't want to be the boss of him. He can do that, because I don't want to. Even if my head is telling me to."

Skah only acts cold because he has similar thoughts. I think his head is saying the same thing about me. It's telling him that he doesn't like me, but I hope he'll learn that he doesn't have to worry. I'll tell my head, _No_ , for him. So he can be the leader." Flocke finished with that. It felt nice to not only figure out why Skah was distant towards him (And him to Skah) but also to be able to talk about it. Yeah, it was Ghost he was talking to, but he felt like he could share it with her.

Stretching, Flocke looked back up to the sky and gasped. The sun had gone down completely, and now the stars were out. Millions upon millions of shiny blinking lights filled Flocke's eyes. "Pretty..." he said quietly in awe. He decided then and there that, yes, he would like to someday fly. If only to touch one of those pretty lights.

* * *

Ghost listened to Flocke's thoughts attentively. She rather liked listening to Flocke, Skah wasn't much of a talker. She didn't quite understand the relationship between the two males, but then maybe that was it. She was female and they were male, _we think differently_.

She let the thought go and looked up at the stars with Flocke. She to thought they looked pretty. Tentatively she said, "I wish I could catch one of them, and keep it, like you do your feather."

Inside the tree, Skah had drifted off into an uneasy rest. One thought kept repeating, _**You** are the future._

* * *

Flocke turned to Ghost, surprised that she had been thinking similarly to him. He then smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "When we learn how to fly, I'll fly up there with you and help you catch one!" he liked this plan. He looked back up to the stars and watched them as he continued the conversation.

"So, you've been with Skah since you've hatched right? You must be best friends by now! I can tell he trusts you more than us. His gaze softens a bit when he looks at you." Flocke was surprised at his attention to such a small detail. He hadn't realized he had noticed it until he spoke of it. He decided to change the subject. "Do you remember what your mother sounded like?"

* * *

Larimar woke up to the sounds of Shiny's hungry peeps. Still half-asleep, she growled, "Go catch something yourself!" The black chick started shaking her, begging for food. "Ugh." Larry sat up, her eyes opening a crack. She took in a deep breath. "Food...food! They did it! Come on, Shiny!"

She dragged him out with her, not even bothering to let him regain his footing. She passed by Skah and Lolly. It surprised her to see him sleeping already. _It must have been quite some hunt._ She saw Flocke and Ghost outside, eating from a dead...thing. Larimar paused. What was that creature? It was bigger than anything they'd ever caught before and had weird, long legs.

"What'd you catch?" she asked as she jogged over. Not waiting for an answer, she started tearing at some of its leg. Whatever it was, it tasted great. Shiny looked at it with wide eyes. His beak filled with saliva, and he suddenly knew that he was hungry, and this would relieve his hunger. He made a little nip at it. Delicious flavor filled his mouth. _So this is food.  
_


	37. - - Part III, Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Hunger pangs woke Lolly, and though she smelled food her sleepy eyes were far too bleary to see it for a while. She settled for listening to the sounds of her fellows until her vision cleared. She listened silently to Flocke and Ghost's conversation, very intrigued by it, or at least what she could pick up from it, since they were outside and some of the words were lost in the distance. She heard a chick eating as well, and Larimar asking what it was they'd caught.

Finally she could see well enough to get up. Stumbling about and a bit stiff, she hobbled into the starlight and looked at the strange food for a moment, processing it. How on earth had they taken down such a large creature? Before she answered herself, Lolly found herself eating on the thing. It was softer and more tender meat than she was used to, but she liked it immensely. It never occurred to her that it was a baby of its species, though by now she knew that some things had to die so others could live.

* * *

Flocke watched as the girls and Shiny ate. He hadn't really registered what it was he had eaten until Larimar brought it up. Now that he was looking at it, he did agree that it looked weird. He was curious at to what it was, but didn't want to know any more than that. Whether it was a baby, or someone's sister, or anything like that. He didn't want to get attached to his food. He remembered being captured by the hawks. They had seen him as food the same way he saw a lizard as food. They didn't care that he was a baby, and that he was scared. They just wanted to make him food for their own babies. If that was so, then perhaps that's how other animals were too. Maybe they were scared of him like he had been of the hawks.

Flocke shook his head of these thoughts. He liked to think about things, but this was one thought process he wanted to avoid. He looked back up to the stars and closed his eyes. He felt the night's breeze flow through his feathers, and listened to the forest around him. He could vaguely hear the sounds of the three chicks eating. The night was nearly silent, and it was dark. It reminded him of the world of his egg. Dark and nearly silent... and his mother. It always came back to his mother. There was no doubt he would have been a momma's boy had she survived.

If he was going to stay up all night, in this silent darkness, he might as well do something to keep himself awake. Racing through his memory, he picked a new song his mother had once sung. It was sung in their language so he had no problem remembering it. Sucking in a breath, Flocke quietly let the song escape his beak.

 _He starts singing A Mother's Lullaby..._

 _Sleep, O Babe, for the red bee hums,  
The silent twilights fall.  
Eeval from the Grey Rock comes  
To wrap the world in thrall.  
A lyan van o, my child, my joy,  
My love and heart's desire.  
The crickets sing you lullaby  
Beside the dying fire.  
Dusk is drawn and the Green Mans' thorn  
Is wreathed in rings of fog;  
Sheevra sails his boat till morn  
Upon the starry bog.  
A lyan van o, the paly moon  
Hath brimmed her cusp in dew,  
And weeps to hear the sad sleep tune.  
I sing, my love, to you.  
Sleep, O Babe, for the red bee hums,  
The silent twilights fall.  
Eeval from the Grey Rock comes  
To wrap the world in thrall.  
A lyan van o, my child, my joy,  
My love and heart's desire.  
The crickets sing you lullaby  
Beside the dying fire._

* * *

Once she'd made sure Shiny was eating well, Larimar pigged out. She tore her way through the tender flesh of the fawn, making a mess of herself. Her delicate features were soon covered in red. Last days unexpected adventure had really sapped her energy. She was a growing chick, after all, and a griffin her age needed a lot more food than it seemed.

Shiny got over his initial uneasiness and dug in once he saw Larimar go for it. He ate slowly, savoring eat bite and becoming more accustomed to the salty taste. Soon he felt mild discomfort in his belly and knew it was time to stop. Flocke was singing something, the words too soft for Shiny to make out. He yawned, stretched, and sat down, watching the world with half-closed eyes.

Larimar stopped herself once she felt her stomach being strained, already having eaten much more than she should have. There was still enough for the other chicks, but, looking down at what she'd devoured, she felt a little guilty for taking more than her share. _We could have saved that...no, no, might as well have it eaten now than later.  
_  
She noticed Flocke was singing again. He had a good voice for a chick so small. She went over to where Shiny was, watching "her" chick as she listened to him. It was another song she didn't know, but quite beautiful. A small hum rose in her throat. Compared to Flocke, her singing voice was slow and monotonous. Embarrassed by it, she quieted herself and decided she would just listen.

* * *

When Flocke finished his song, he turned to Larimar and Shiny. Shiny looked about ready to pass out, and Flocke chuckled as the chick tried to stay awake. "Lar, I think it's time to take Shiny back into the hollow. He's sleepy." Flocke said calmly. He then turned to Ghost. "Are you sleepy?" he asked. He knew she was, who wouldn't be after the day they just had, but he didn't want to sound like he was demanding her to go into the hollow. A simple question was a wonderful way to convince her that going to sleep was her idea, and not his.

* * *

A trembling, bright green fluffed griffin chick made his way shakily over rocks and grass, letting out soft chirrs on occasion in a nervous manner as he kept tossing his head around, looking this way and that in an anxious way. The griffin fluffed his feathers against a sudden wind and flapped his wings uselessly, though upon close inspection one could see the beginning of flight feathers growing in, how old was this small chick?

The sound of a rumbling stomach broke the silent air around him and the malnourished chick made a slight squeak of pain and stood still for a moment, awaiting the pass of pain that accompanied a stomach trying to eat itself. On the distant wind he could smell the scent of a fresh kill, and it made his mouth water slightly. The small beak rose to scent at the air, which carried the sound of soft singing on the wind. The griffin let out a soft chirp or urgency. "Mommy?!" He called to the sound.

* * *

"Eh?" Larimar grunted. She looked over to them, Flocke bringing her attention to the worn out Shiny. "Oh! Oh, yes. Come on, Shiny. Let's go get a few more winks of sleep." She started ushering him back into the hollow. Larimar tried not to be rough with the chick, but she had no idea how to handle a baby. _What do moms do? Well...they're nice. And...gentle.  
_  
She made sure he was nestled up comfortably and sat down beside him. Shiny wrapped his feet around her leg. It took all her willpower not to shake him off. "It's okay, I'll stay here." Larimar sighed and started preening him again, waiting for him to fall back asleep.

Shiny's first thought was that he didn't want to sleep. He wanted to go see more of the world with Mommy. It was so big and bright! Gone was his determination to stay locked up and safe. Gone was that sense of fear. He craved adventure. In his mind, he was just as big and tough as the other chicks. He could go get food with them!

Larimar hummed softly, following a familiar tune she didn't know the words to. She stumbled on it, her voice unpolished and way out of tune. While she couldn't compare to Flocke, it was enough to make Shiny calm down.

 _Rest little chick...uh...  
There's many a day  
Ahead for us, so don't you rush  
A million nights end...and...  
Before you know it...  
We're tired and  
All grown up  
And...  
Um...  
Hmmm hmm hmmm la la  
I love you  
I'll see you through  
To the, uh, dawn  
And watch you forever  
Hmm mmm...Like the stars  
And the moon  
Glowing  
Like...eyes...of mommies...like me  
la la la  
Hmmm hmmm mhm  
oooooooh hmmm hm hm  
hummmmm mm m  
I care...deeply...for  
...um, my son  
la hmm mmmmm  
I..uh...hum hum hum  
And I'll - huh?  
_  
"What was that?" Larimar's head shot up. _Oh, great, another chick calling "Mommy"_ "Stay here; I'll be back." She patted Shiny on the head and went out to see who it was.

* * *

The green puffed chick let out a noise of despair as the tune cut out and flumped to the ground in a defeated manner and knocked his head against the soft grass a few times before he pulled himself to his feet in an exhausted way as he started on his way again, trying to head towards where he had heard the singing coming from, though, of course, he was probably off in direction.

* * *

Flocke heard the sound of a strange chick calling for its mother in the distance. ' _Another one_?' he thought, kind of annoyed. But he erased the thought quickly. The chick needed help, just like they did. Besides, safety in numbers, right? When Larimar came out, he knew she heard it too. Ghost seemed to have fallen asleep, so he didn't think she heard the new chick.

"There's another one Lar." he told his friend as she walked over. "Should we go look for it?" He wasn't sure about leaving the others asleep. "Er... maybe I should go look, and you keep an eye out for the others until I get back?" That would be better. Larimar could be look out until he returned with, perhaps, a new chick in tow.

* * *

Flocke's question about her mother silenced Ghost immediately. She rolled over, facing away from Flocke, giving the cold shoulder treatment. In truth she didn't remember anything about her mother, maybe it was this fact that caused her to hate humans so much. The only thing that she truly remembered about being an egg was when Skah's mum had moved her, it was like before that nothing had existed for her. She didn't understand it, she knew that Flocke had listened to his mother while in the egg. She had never discussed it with Skah before, it hadn't seemed important. Her brooding silence stretched on, but FLocke didn't pressure her into giving an answer, which she was grateful for. It was then that Flocke's song broke through the nights silence. It was beautiful to Ghost, but foreign. Her eyelids began to droop, she was tired after all. It didn't take much longer for her eyes to close and sleep to engulf her.

Skah was sleeping peacefully now. Still the thought resonated through his mind, but now with clarity and conviction, he had accepted it now. He twitched a little in his sleep as Larimar and Shiny left and returned and Larimar exited again, awareness of his surroundings never truly leaving him as he slept.

* * *

Larimar gave him a questioning look. "You're sure we need another member of our flock?" She then realized how hard-hearted that sounded, and added her reasoning. "Look, their mommy is probably just getting food or something. _All_ the mommas can't be gone." She unintentionally glanced toward Shiny after saying that.

The truth was, she didn't see why they needed more chicks in their posse. If a chick needed help...well, that was sad, but she thought all her friends were fine as they were. Larimar was starting to understand how the world worked: it was fight for your buddies, or be eaten by someone else's. She had enough trouble with a newborn who had imprinted on her watching - and learning from - her every step.


	38. - - Part III, Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Flocke didn't like hearing that. He gave her a stern look, then looked to Shiny who was watching. Shiny wouldn't like him getting mad at his mother, and Flocke didn't want to look like a bad guy. He turned back towards where he heard the sound come from and glanced over his shoulder to Larimar.

"I know, but we can't be sure unless we go find out. I'll just go take a look, and if the chick doesn't look lost, then I'll come back without him knowing I was ever there. Besides, if he does have a mother, then maybe she'll take pity on us and help us out." With that, Flocke looked forward and began walking towards the brush. "I don't want to live knowing there was a slight chance that we left a chick to die. We all have the same problem, so let's help each other with it."

He looked back once more before heading out of sight. "Don't worry. I'll come back soon." he said to Larimar. He then looked to Shiny and for some reason, knew exactly what to say to the little chick. "Look after everybody while I'm gone okay? They need someone big and strong to watch their backs. Oh, and make sure you're sleeping by the time I get back. I'll play with you tomorrow if you are, okay?" He gave Shiny and Larimar a wide grin before trotting deeper into the woods, out of sight. He hoped that would help Larimar get Shiny back to sleep.

The deeper he went, the more uneasy he was about his decision. It was darker here, seeing as the tree tops covered all light from the moon and stars. The animal noises, which had seemed distant at the hollow, were now much louder, as if the creatures were right next to him. Not to mention that he felt like he was constantly being watched. After walking a few minutes in the direction he heard the chick's call come from, he decided it was time to call out. There's no way he'd find the chick otherwise.

"Hey!" he called out in the hopes that the other chick, and not some bad animal, would hear him. "Who's calling for their mother?" He quieted, and waited for the response that he hoped would come.

* * *

Skah woke with a violent shudder, bolting upright and subsequently hissing as he put weight on his injured leg. Something had caused him to wake so violently, a feeling that he was needed. He looked around in the den seeing Lolly asleep, but the others absent. His concern growing, Skah made his way out of the tree. Once outside it didn't take Skah long to find out who was missing, Ghost asleep, Larimar watching over Shiny, and Flocke gone. Skah limped over to Larimar before asking gruffly, "Where's Flocke?"

It was then that he heard the young male calling in the darkness. Anger boiled quickly inside of Skah, and Larimar was the poor unfortunate to feel its bite. "What's he doing out there on his own?"

* * *

"Going after some chick on his own." Larimar was more exasperated than worried about Flocke. She didn't voice this opinion, though, knowing that her compassionate friends would just get mad at her. "He'll be fine," she threw in reassuringly, trying to calm down the agitated Skah. _At least he cares about Flocke's safety.  
_  
Shiny perked up when his foster mom started talking to Matoskah. "You're Skah?!" he said, pleased that he remembered the big chick's name.

"Yes," Larimar answered quickly, shoving him backwards. She repressed her urge to sit on him and make him be quiet. _He's just a chick._ Plastering on a smile, she guided Shiny back over to his nest. "Come on; you need sleep."

"But Flocke said to watch out for you guys!" Shiny whined. Larimar turned back to Skah, refusing the humor him any longer.

* * *

Flaw squeaked in surprise when he heard the call out for him, it sounded like a chick, not like something that would harm him, still, the chick hesitated before he opened his mouth to call back, but at that moment his vocals froze up. The chick crouched there, frozen in terror and uncertainty of what to do now, Flaw took a deep breath and let out a loud squawk to try to let the other chick know where he was, before he pushed himself against a root, just in case the other was actually something that would harm him.

* * *

 _Another one?_ Skah thought in dismay. Their motley crew was beginning to grow in size very quickly indeed. He began an agitated limping hop, pacing up and down the tree. He gave a perfunctory nod to Shiny, he had no patience for the young chick at the moment. Larimar began walking the young fellow back to their nest when he began whining about some instructions given to him by Flocke. His patience wearing extremely thin Skah growled a short response. "Go to sleep. Now. Flocke can barely look after himself, you listen to me."

A moment later a loud squawk punctured the quiet of the night. _There's definitely another one out there._ Surprising himself he also thought, _Come on Flocke, you can do it.  
_

* * *

Lolly had fallen asleep into the prey. The current scene had started too late to wake her up, and despite all the noise and herself, she was sound asleep, dead to the world. It seems the busy days and large meal had taken their toll on her energy reserves.

* * *

Shiny tried to fall asleep, he really did; he was just so full of energy and a new urge to explore. Skah's command was able to scare him into dropping down and at least pretending. Shiny had already started to look up to Flocke, mostly because of how quickly the blue chick had adopted him as a brother. Skah didn't seem mean, but he was definitely annoyed and showed more than enough of it in his voice to make the younger chick obey.

Larimar peered out at what was left of the carcass. Ghost had fallen asleep, so no-one was eating anymore. She chuckled at Shiny's fast reaction to Skah's command. Maybe she'd a take a page from his book and start being a little more firm when instructing the little guy. _Shiny could use some good instruction...the kind that I can't give him_ She sat with all four legs bent, determined to stay awake until Flocke came back. _He should be returning soon. That chick didn't sound too far off.  
_  
"Hey," she called toward Skah, "Should we save the rest of that food? I don't think there's much left, but we could bury it anyway." She felt quite smart for knowing how to preserve the meat. She stretched and sauntered over to the deer, ready to show him how much she already knew about caching.

* * *

Skah was pleased when Shiny at least shut up and stopped being annoying, even if he wasnt sleeping. He continued his pacing, back and forth, beginning to wear a path down. Larimar then suggested that they stash the remains of the fawn away. It was a good idea, but where were they to do it?

For once Skah was not knowledgeable, he had never stashed food for later, always eating what theh could and moving on. Ashamed to admit it he replied,"Sure, do what you like with it."

* * *

Flocke had waited for what felt like eternity, for the other chick to answer. He was just about to give up when he heard it call out again. It sounded much closer, so without hesitation, Flocke bounded for the noise. He slowed down when he believed he had neared the source of the sound. Looking around, Flocke searched for the new chick. His gaze landed on a small patch of green hiding near a root. The fluffy thing was about his size, but as green as Larimar. With a large grin, Flocke walked hesitantly towards the small chick.

"Hi." he said as kindly as possible. "My name's Flocke. Me and my friends heard you cry for a mommy, so we thought you might be lost like us. Are you lost? What's your name?" Flocke didn't want to scare this chick, so he laid down on his stomach about a foot away from the chick, in a non-threatening manner. "Would you like to be my friend?" he added in, to show the chick that he wanted to help. He waited for the small male to answer.

* * *

Flaw's eyes widened when he saw the other chick bound over to him and start babbling friendly words, and he sat up in a more relaxed pose, listening to to the chick. When asked if he was lost like them, he nodded rapidly. His beak opened and closed as he tried to speak, but again his vocals froze up and he couldn't speak. He made a slight noise of distress and looked at Flocke as he continued speaking. Flaw really would appreciate having a friend, even if it's as random and sporadic as Flocke seemed to be.


	39. - - Part III, Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Larimar thought back to the fox she'd seen burying a rabbit. She started to dig into the ground, but it was much harder for her than the canine made it look. Her forefeet started to hurt when she'd barely made an inch-deep indentation. Larimar had no idea how to dig with her bird feet in the harder ground. She clacked her beak in frustration, trying to work faster than thus doing an even sloppier job.

"Could you...um...can you help me with digging?" she asked Skah, embarrassed that she couldn't finish it herself. "I just need a hole to put the leftovers into so nothing smells them and comes to steal our food."

* * *

So this chick _was_ lost. Flocke was happy that he had been right, and that he actually came to get the chick. Who knows what would have happened to it if he didn't go after it.

Seeing that the chick was more comfortable with his presence, Flocke walked closer. "It's not safe at night, so we should get back to my other friends, okay? I should probably tell you about them first, so you don't get scared of them the moment you see them." Flocke heard no protest, so he named off his friends. "First, there's Skah. He's the oldest and he's pretty much the leader, so listen to him okay? Then there's Ghost. She's second oldest, and Skah's best friend. Lolly is a large brown chick who helps protect us. She's really nice. Finally, there's Larimar and Shiny. Larimar is green like you, and she's playing mommy for Shiny. We just found Shiny today. He hatched from an egg and thinks Larimar is his mommy now. We don't want to tell him that she's not yet, so try to keep it a secret, okay?" Flocke noticed that the new chick wasn't saying anything, and that he hadn't been saying anything the entire time.

"Hey, are you... shy?" he asked kindly.

* * *

Flaw listened the the blue chick as he followed him, getting more comfortable with his presence, he nodded when he thought it was needed, and was fairly surprised that there was quite a large group already. When asked with the final question, the chick nodded before he opened and closed his beak a few times, trying to indicate he couldn't seem to talk.

* * *

Flocke caught on to the difficulty the chick was having. ' _He must be scared to talk._ ' he thought to himself. This upset Flocke, because he wanted to know the other male's name. With a shrug, he gave the chick a wide smile. "Well then, until you can tell me your name, I'll have to call you something else!" He thought about what to call the other chick. He soon decided he wasn't very good at coming up with names.

"Er... how about... no you don't look like a... maybe! Nah... that would be too weird..." Flocke was about to hit his head against something when he came up with, what he thought was, a pretty decent idea. "Could I call you Shy?" he asked the chick. He was fine if the chick motioned "no", but he wanted to figure out a name.

* * *

Skah gave an exasperated sigh, his bigger paws would be of help when for the digging. But never the less griffins weren't exactly built for digging. He limped over to where Larimar had begun the hole, it was small, but it was a start. Skah began his task in silence, thinking of the past, and their future.

Meanwhile Ghost was silently sleeping, the exhaustion of several hard days catching up to her. She was a tough griffin, any chick orphaned at a such young age had to be, but the aura of toughness she spent all day constructing melted away when she slept. Her dreams revolved around a mother that she never knew, but never the less missed greatly.

* * *

Flaw seemed too think about it for a moment before he gave a sight shrug and nodded, fluffing his feathers slightly in a content manner as he followed the chick to wherever they were going.

* * *

Larimar tried not to stare at Matoskah as they worked. His silence unnerved her, for Larimar was a fairly talkative griffin, and felt compelled to strike up conversation as she worked. Skah seemed stressed right now, though. He probably wasn't in the mood for chatting about those hunting maneuvers he and Ghost had taught them. The black chick interested her in a way she didn't understand. Perhaps it was just meeting him later than Lolly and Flocke that didn't really let her consider him a brother.

"Thanks," she said as she backed away from the hole. It looked deep enough now. Larimar went back over to the fawn and started tearing off the best parts of it off to stash away. The wonderful taste filled her beak. She'd already had her full, but had to resist stuffing herself even more.

* * *

Skah worked away in silence, oblivious to any attention Larimar paid to him until she spoke. In mild surprise Skah looked down at where they had been digging, he hadn't realised that they had gotten so far. He stepped away from the hole, letting Larimar finish the what work was left. Skah went and sat near the mouth of the den, the physical work had been useful in burning out some of the tension in his body. Wriggling around so that his injured leg was comfortable, Skah sat and waited. For Flocke and whatever he may bring, and for the dawn of a new day.

* * *

Flocke grinned happily when the other chick motioned, what he assumed was, a yes. "Great!" he said while he continued back to the others. While walking back, Flocke told Flaw as much as he could about everyone and what they had done in the past few days. Not a single detail was missed, and Flocke enjoyed telling the other about everything- even if it was, somewhat, against the others will...

Before Flocke knew it, they were back. Peeking past a bush, Flocke could see Larimar burying the remains of the deer carcass, Skah laying down in the entrance of the hollow, and Ghost was still sleeping in the spot she was in before. He slowly came out of the brush into view.

"We're back!" he said without being too loud. He motioned towards Flaw and said, "This is Shy! He was hiding under a root when I found him. He doesn't really talk, so I don't know his real name. That's why I'm calling him Shy for now. When we know his real name, we can call him by that. But right now, he's Shy!" With a smile, Flocke sat down and waited for the others to introduce themselves.

* * *

Skah looked up from his post, he had heard something near them. His eyes scanned the surrounding brush until they rested on a spot. Flocke emerged, and trailing behind him was a scrawny excuse of a chick. It was bright green like Larimar, but it had patches of fur missing with feathers covering these spots. _It's older than us_ , Skah thought.

Flocke introduced it, as being a male, and called Shy, but only because it wouldn't speak to tell him anything. Skah took one firm look at Flocke, "You know he's your responsibility don't you?"

Without waiting for Flocke to accept this Skah stood and limped over to the scruffy ball of green. He stopped just short of the 'intimidating' mark but stood high and proud. "I'm Matoskah, try to keep up with us." He turned away and limped back over to Ghost where he sunk down beside her and curled up again. His eyes glinted in the night, open, watching every move of the other chicks.


	40. - - Part III, Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

' _My responsibility?_ ' Flocke thought to himself as he watched Skah's cold introduction. He already warned Flaw of Skah's less than soft personality, so he didn't worry. ' _I guess, because I found him, right? But isn't he older?_ ' Flocke looked to Flaw and the flight feathers that were coming in. ' _If anything, shouldn't he be looking after us? ... No, Skah would get upset with that idea. Better keep quiet about it._ '

Flocke walked over to his new friend. "I'll watch your back if you watch mine, okay Shy?" he said optimistically. "Of course, we all look after each other, but me and you are gonna be like brothers! You make sure I don't do stupid things, and I'll talk for you, okay?" Flocke nodded his head as if to confirm his idea. He then realized how late it was.

"Okay, you should eat some of the food that Larimar hasn't buried yet, then you should go to sleep. I'm staying up to keep watch." With the thought of the others sleeping, Flocke was reminded of something. He turned his head to the green female. "Hey Lar! Is Shiny asleep yet?"

* * *

Flaws eyes widened at all the chicks that were there, from listening to Flocke he knew there were quite a few but seeing them all... the chick named Skah came over to him and terrified flaw, he was rather large, and intimidating, though he had been warned of his cold persona, the little green chick was rather scared by the black male, so, while he was growling at him and Flocke, Flaw studied the male, observing him.

The chick gave a nod to Flocke at his proposal, and crept forward warily to the food, his stomach growling loudly as the scent filled his nose. He sat next to the carcass and bit off a piece, letting a soft chirr of happiness as he finally got food. He ate slowly, not wanting to over fill himself or make himself sick

* * *

Lolly yawned awake, blinking at the daylight and the sound of digging. Suddenly she shot up. "I've overslept! How could you guys let me sleep so long!" She scrambled to look for them and found them not too far away.

She stomped to her fellow chicks, cross with them for letting her sleep so long. She did a double take when she saw an extra chick. "When...Where..." She peered at Flaw suspisciously. "Who are you, and when did you get here?"

* * *

Larimar nodded. "Thank goodness. I thought that little bug was going to keep us all up forever." She tried to say this in a joking manner. Even if he could get on her nerves, she was actually quite fond of Shiny. Though not in the way a mother would, she already loved the little chick. This new one, on the other hand...

"So," she said blankly, turning to the griffin Flocke called Shy. "Hello." She walked back over to the food, too tired to care about whether she liked Flaw. She finished burying the cache and motioned toward the remaining meat with her tail. "There's still some left over there."

Shiny had already drifted off to sleep. He dreamed of a wonderful life with all the other chicks, running around with his brother, Flocke and eating with Larimar, his mommy. It wasn't very different from his real life, but that was all he knew, and he was happy with it.

* * *

Flocke chuckled at Larimar's joke. He knew she didn't mean it. He quickly resumed his position of watching the stars while he continued to listen intently to the forest around them. If something got too close, he'd hear it.

As the hours passed, Flocke realized the others had all fallen asleep. With a smirk, he watched over his friends until the first rays of the sun peaked through the trees. He woke Skah up and then decided it was time to collapse and fall asleep himself.

* * *

Flocke was taking a morning nap when Lolly came out. He hadn't thought that staying up would take such a toll on him, but it had, and now he was paying for it. When Lolly spoke up, he slightly lifted his head to see what she was going on about. Seeing her gaze directed suspiciously at Flaw, he decided to help the silent chick.

"That's Shy. I found him last night. He doesn't talk, so ask yes or no questions. He's with us now, so calm down, kay?" Flocke then proceeded to flop his head back down, so he could continue to snooze. For the first time since he'd hatched, Flocke wasn't in the mood to talk.

* * *

Lolly nodded brusquely. "Good to meet you. I'm Lolly." She tried to make herself look bigger, but only felt silly. Silently, she began working on the digging as well, though she wasn't entirely sure why they were digging and was hoping to look as though she knew what to do. She simply imitated another chick and hoped that she was doing the right thing.

* * *

Flaw lifted from where he was curled up in a secluded corner of the cave, he had awoken from an uneasy sleep when Lolly had came out, and gave her a slight nod in greetings and tested his head down again, eyes dro oping too he fell into another uneasy sleep

* * *

Shiny woke up with a smile on his face. He stretched his forelegs like a kitten, extending his wings to catch his stiff body up to the excited state his mind was in. He looked around and noticed Larimar was still sleeping. Lolly was already up, talking to someone. He looked over to the strange chick. _Who's that?_ "Mommy? Mommy?" He started kicking Larimar.

Larimar glared up at him. " _What?_ " Her wings were spread out and her legs were arranged in awkward positions. Her body ached from falling asleep like that. Last night, she's been to exhausted to care. She inadvertently looked back over to Skah. He was still curled up side by side with Ghost. _Those two are awfully close. It figures, they're like me and Flocke and Lolly._ Before she could drift back into sleep, another cry from Shiny rattled her.

"Mommy, who's that?!" he gesture with his beak toward Special Flaw. The strange chick interested and frightened him. He wanted to go and investigate, but not without his mother's approval.

"Shy. He's called Shy. Flocke found him last night." She closed her eyes again, covering herself with her wings. "Go say hi to him," she added without looking up. "He's...um...he's our new friend."

Shiny grinned. "Okay!" He bounced toward the bright green male. "Hello, Shy!"

* * *

Flaw squeaked in surprise and jumped up, looking at Shiny with large, wide eyes. He relaxed when he realized it was a little little chick and sat down, shuffling his feet slightly and ruffled his wings, giving him a slight tail flick of greetings, his eyes had warmed up as if he was smiling.


	41. - - Part III, Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

"I'm Shiny!" Shiny said proudly. "Well, I'm not shiny anymore, but it's still my name. Are you shy? Is that why they call you that?" Shiny looked up at the older chick. He stared at his wings, noticing the new feathers that were coming in. Shiny had to glance back at his own little stubs to see if they were different. "Wow!" he exclaimed. "You're _big_. Why are your wings-"

Larimar made a loud noise in her throat. _Oops._ She realized that she had neglected to tell Shiny about Flaw's mutism. "Uh," she blundered over, still drowsy, and gave Shiny a little tug on the tail. "He doesn't really like to talk, right?" She looked at the green male for some sort of nod or shake.

* * *

Flaw gave a quick nod after Larimar said that as he looked at the little chick, still nodding. He fluttered his wings slightly, suddenly self conscious about them and how they were forming the feathers, while loosing some of the fluffy chick feathers. Flaw stretched them slightly before he let them rest back comfortably against his back/side.

* * *

A grunt could be heard from the mound of fur that was Skah. The sounds of an over excited chick had interrupted his sleep. Another call from the excited chick put the end to any more sleep Skah would be receiving. He cracked open his eyes, staying still as the dead. Beside him Ghost was also awake, she purred gently before standing up and stretching out her back.

Agile as ever she leaped up the side of the tree the others had used as a den. Her claws scuffled and scratched as she muscled her way up the side. Once on top she looked around, not much could be seen as she wasn't very high up. But what she did see for the first time was the new chick, Flaw. Feeling especially energetic Ghost jumped from the top of the tree and landed, rolling to avoid injuring until coming to rest about a foot away from Flaw. "Hello, I'm Ghost", she said trying to sound friendly.

Skah was struggling to stand up, his leg was stiff and even more sore than when he had been injured. He struggled in silence, hoping to avoid everyone's attention. After a couple of goes he manged to get all of his feet beneath him and stood up, gingerly avoiding putting weight on his leg. Once standing he tried to stretch the leg out more. Gradually he worked the stiffness out, until only the pain was left and he manged to take a few small hopping steps.

* * *

Flaw let out a surprised squeak and sat back on his haunches as Ghost rolled to him, stopping roughly about a foot from him before she greeted him. Flaw scooched back slightly and nodded to her in greetings before his eyes flicked behind her to glance at Skah before he turning back to her. He looked at Larimar before he turned his attention back at Ghost, hoping she might explain that he didn't talk.

* * *

Larimar stared at him quizzically for a beat. Then it clicked and she hurried to introduce him to Ghost. "This is Shy. Flocke found him. I guess he's part of the group now." She smiled, trying to look welcoming to the chick. With him actually standing here, right in front of her, she felt guilty for being the one who tried to stop Flocke from looking for him. _I wonder where he's been. I wonder if he has a flock of his own somewhere. Oh, a story's so much more intriguing when you don't even know it!  
_  
Shiny looked back and forth between Ghost and Shy. "You're one of the one's who knows a lot," he told Ghost with certainty. Larimar gave him a stern look. _Not now_ , his mommy's gaze told him, so he walked away, looking for Flocke or Lolly, someone he could play with.

* * *

Ghost waited patiently for a moment as the visibly scared older chick shuffle about awkwardly. When he didn't respond Ghost cocked her head quizzically before asking, "What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you."

Skah was still working on his injured leg, pacing gently to stimulate the blood flow. Through his dark fur he could see an angry looking red and purple bruise on his thigh.

* * *

"He can't...he doesn't really talk." Larimar shifted her legs around awkwardly. "Flocke said just ask him yes or no questions." She got a stupid idea and turned back to Shy. "Have you tried talking? Does it hurt? Maybe something's wrong with his throat." She was sure that she could get to the bottom of this.

* * *

He cocked his head slightly and gave a slight shrug, before he opened his mouth in an attempt to talk, but suddenly his vocals froze up and he made a little squeaking noise of strain before he closed his beak and looked down at his feet.

* * *

Skah in a more negative mood then normal, probably due to his injury muttered to himself. "There had to be something wrong with him to fit in with us." Sick of pacing he found a patch of strong sunlight and dropped down awkwardly onto his side sticking his legs out. He let out a sigh and relaxed his head onto his front legs.

"He doesn't talk? He can't, or he won't?" Ghost was surprised at the concept that someone couldn't talk. Even to her who had been around Skah so much, thought idea odd. Catching Larimars drift she added, "Maybe theirs something stuck in his throat."

* * *

Shiny stared at Matoskah's leg. He hadn't paid much attention to it before, but it looked much more serious than he'd thought it was. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. He paced in a semicircle around Skah, staring a bit too closely at the injury. _Ouch. That has to hurt._

"I'm not sure. Have you ever talked before, Shy?" Larimar sat down to puzzle over this. She didn't remember ever learning to talk or struggling over words. It came naturally her, flowing out of her beak whenever she wished to convey her emotions. She couldn't imagine not even knowing how.


	42. - - Part III, Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Skah withstood Shiny's inspection grudgingly. "I'm fine", he lazily dismissed the chicks concern. Eager to direct the conversation away from himself Skah asked Shiny, "Do you remember anything from before you hatched?" He was gently prodding to see if he could find out anything about the suspicious proximity of Shiny's egg and the human remains that he and Ghost had found.

Ghost pushed herself upright and took a slow gentle step forward towards Flaw before asking, "Open your beak, I want to take a look inside".

* * *

Flaw nodded to the question asking if he could talk before, and scootched back from Ghost and shook his head, he didn't want someone poking and prodding around in his mouth.

* * *

"Well..." Shiny's face scrunched up as he tried to recall his time as an egg. There was no certain point beyond which he forgot, but he couldn't remember much of his early life. Slowly, he started reassembling them into clear memories. Shiny rocked back and forth, his eyes still closed as he started recounting what he understood.

"Well, it was all dark and warm and everything, and really cramped. I was never hungry, not for food. At first...at first I really wanted to come out. My siblings would sometimes make really soft noises, but I couldn't understand anything except 'mom' and 'hello'. My mom. I didn't hear her a lot. Sometimes there was this other griffin around, but she didn't talk a lot either...Larimar...she sounded...different...older. Not like...like...not like...now...I don't really...I don't understand."

He stared at Larimar. He was almost as tall as her, and she seemed no more used to the world than he was. _That's not right._

"Anyway, um, I wanted to know what was out there with her voice and stuff, but I knew I wasn't ready yet. My mom started calling me the last egg, so I think I was the only one who didn't hatch. And shiny. She'd call me the shiny one. Then, when I was going to come out, my egg started shaking and rolling everywhere. All this noise was...everywhere. There was screaming and thumping and stuff all around my egg.

"Something took me away and put me down somewhere else. I was really freaked out and scared and stuff. I got rolled around a lot. My mom and my siblings disappeared and I knew I was alone, so I didn't come out. I kept waiting for them to come back so I could hatch with them. Then they came back! And my egg fell and I met Mommy!"

Shiny ended his story on a happy note, beaming at Larimar, who still had her back turned to him. It didn't matter that she didn't sound the same as before. She said she was his mom, she acted like his mom, and he hatched with her. So...she had to be his mother. _Right?_ he wondered.

* * *

Flocke had woken up when the commotion started. He simply stayed down and listened for awhile, but soon decided it was time to intervene. More importantly, he had heard the conversation between Skah and Shiny.

' _It's time to tell him. It would be wrong to keep it from him any longer._ ' Flocke thought sadly. ' _He's had the chance we never had, and was able to be a chick. Even if it was only for a few hours..._ ' Standing up, Flocke walked over to Skah and Shiny. He noticed the bruise and the secret pain clouding Skah's eyes. Remembering how he felt when he was hurt, Flocke knew Skah wouldn't want to be noticed. With a slight nod of acknowledgement, Flocke walked up to shiny. He gave the chick a warm smile before it slowly dwindled.

"Hey buddy." he said kindly. This wasn't going to be easy. "Listen, Shiny. It's time I- we... tell you something. Something that we can't keep from you anymore." He stopped there and let the words sink in.

* * *

"Fine", Ghost muttered shortly. She was losing patience with Flaw, he didn't want to tell them what was wrong, and he wouldn't let them find out, so in her mind he was on his own. She turned her back on Flaw and Larimar, not rudely, but definitely in a frustrated manner. Ghost went an sat down beside Skah, catching the end of his anecdote. It sounded to her like Shiny's flock had been attacked like theirs had been. And that his real mother had had a chance to hide him, or she had survived long enough to escape. Turning to Skah, she could see that a similar thought was running through his mind.

Skah was also thinking about the fact that Shiny really thought Larimar was his mother. It concerned him for some reason that couldn't quite identify. But he mentally shrugged it off, it wasn't going to be his place to tell the young chick. A crafty thought entered Skah's mind, maybe he could play the dark uncle that looked out for him, keeping him as close as possible. Deciding that his plan was sound Skah casually remarked, "Shiny, don't worry about it. How about we take you exploring?"

* * *

"Okay. I love exploring!" Shiny happily replied. He was glad that Skah seemed to be warming up to him, and he could _finally_ go and see what was out there now. "What is it, Flocke?" he asked, still dancing around Matoskah. _Make it quick_ , he thought. He couldn't wait to learn all those things Larimar said Skah and Ghost knew.

Larimar tensed when she heard Flocke start speaking to Shiny. _He's not ready._ None of them were ready. Chicks their age wouldn't even be hunting for themselves. As much as she hated being called Mommy and getting yanked on the tail by those little chick claws, she felt like Shiny deserved to have the mother that she'd never met. If only the truth never had to come out...but it did. _I guess it's time for him to know.  
_

* * *

Flaw looked over at the three and looked between them with a furrow if his brow, listening to what they were saying, the green chick ruffled his feathers and looked over at Larimar with a questioning look in his eyes, glancing back to the three on occasion.

* * *

"Shiny..." Oh, how would he do this? "I... I'm going to tell you a story. Okay?" He didn't wait for an answer.

"Once upon a time, there was a lot of griffins. They were taking care of their babies and their eggs, and they were all very happy. But one day, they had to go away, and they left some of their eggs and babies behind. When the eggs hatched, they were all alone, and they didn't know where their mothers were. They looked, but the longer they looked, the more they realized they might never find them."

One day, while they were exploring the forest, one of them came across a shiny rock. When they looked closer, they realized that it was an egg. When the egg hatched, the other chicks didn't want it to know that it had no mommy like them. So they told him that the chick that found him was his mommy. They wanted at least one of them to know what it felt like to have a mommy, so they let him be like that for awhile."

However, they couldn't keep it from him forever. He'd figure it out sooner or later, and it was better for it to be sooner. So one of them sat him down the next morning and told him a story, in the hopes that he'd figure it out. We- they, also hope that he won't be upset with them, because they only wanted him to feel like an actual chick, instead feeling lost and secretly sad like the rest of them." Flocke ended his story there. Shiny would be able to figure it out. He bowed his head in shame, knowing that if Shiny was going to get mad, Flocke would probably be the first one he'd yell at.

' _Please don't get mad..._ ' Flocke silently begged.

* * *

Lolly watched Flocke go with Shiny, nervous at how the chick would react but also very proud of Flocke. The group felt out of balance at the moment and she hoped things plateaued out soon. Feeling unusually quiet today, she chose to hang back and observe things for the moment.


	43. - - Part III, Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Shiny said nothing. His breathing quickened, but he was quieter than he'd ever been in his whole short life. His dark eyes bored into Flocke's head. The blue chick was looking down, not making eye contact. A million thoughts ran through the young chick's head, none of them making sense. His heart bursting with so many emotions he could show none of them, expressing only his confusion and shock with his blank stare.

"Shiny," Larimar crept up behind him. She placed a wing on his shoulder and noticed he was shaking slightly. "I'm sorry...we all lost ours, too."

 _Mommy. My mommy is gone...my mommy is gone...where did she go? Where is my mommy?! Why did she go?!_ He faced Larimar. _Why did they all lie to me?!_ They'd only wanted him to be happy, to know the love he would have never had a chance to. Flocke's words kept circling round and round in his head, but he couldn't grasp them. It was too painful, too hard. _My mommy is gone..._

He felt Larimar's wing on his shoulder. Something hot and powerful bubbled up from inside him. He didn't know what it was. Anger? Gratefulness? It exploded like a bomb set off by her efforts to comfort him. "YOU'RE NOT MOMMY!" he screamed. She backed away, her expression becoming guarded. "I WANT MY MOMMY!"

Shiny's voice cracked. He couldn't care less about how stupid, how babyish he was acting, or whether Skah would disapprove, or if Larimar was going to get mad right back at him. He started sobbing, the awful new feeling filling his chest. He felt robbed, as if he'd once had a mother and they'd all just taken her away. He felt frustrated, angry not with them but with fate or whatever force had taken his mother from him.

But most of all, Shiny was sad. He wanted someone who would sing to him and make him stop crying, a wing he could snuggle under until he felt better. Where was she? Why did she leave him? _I want my mommy._

* * *

Skah watched the exchange between Shiny, Flocke and Larimar with a guarded expression on his face. He was keen to see exactly how the young male would react to the news, he wanted to know what sort of griffin he would turn out to be. When Shiny let out an explosion of emotion with his voice, Skah had his answer. It was what he wanted, but time to see how far he would go. "Let it out Shiny", he said quietly, "Let it all out, you'll feel better for it".

Ghost on the other hand was watching proceedings carefully. She was concerned what one small and angry day old chick would do if his emotions got the better of him. Her muscles were tensed beneath her, ready to pounce if Shiny's emotions decided to manifest themselves in a physical attack on any of them.

* * *

Flocke flinched at Shiny's outburst. He felt bad for Shiny, but also envious. The chick knew what it was like to have a mom. He knew the feeling of being safe and in the care of someone that would protect him. Flocke wished he knew that feeling, and he was a bit mad at Shiny for being so upset. Then again, Flocke assumed that it was only natural. The others had learned the truth right away, and had no time to cry over it, while Shiny had been kept in the dark first, and had plenty of time to cry over it.

When Shiny began to sob, Flocke quickly went to the chick's side. He draped his wing over Shiny's back and nuzzled his cheek. He hushed Shiny sweetly in the hopes that he could calm him down. No matter how disappointed or upset he might be with the younger chick, he would still comfort him like a good "big brother" should.

"Shush~ It's okay Shiny, I know. I'm so sorry. I know it hurts..." he cooed. It was true. Every chick there knew what Shiny was feeling. Both Flocke and Skah knew for certain that their mothers were gone, while the others only had a small dwindling hope left of finding their mothers. They all knew how much it hurt. "But your strong Shiny. Just like us, you can learn to get through it. I promise... no matter how much it hurts now... you _will_ feel better in time. And who knows? We might meet your real mother, because we don't know for sure if she's _gone_ or not..."

Flocke knew better to give Shiny false hope, but he felt it was the only way to calm the younger down. Laying Shiny and himself down, with his wing still draped over Shiny, Flocke cuddled up against Shiny and began humming to him in the hopes of calming Shiny's nerves. As he did, he gave Larimar an apologetic look that said, _This isn't your fault._ Flocke's the one who said it was time- it was past time. Flocke knew it would have been worse if they dragged it on for longer, and that- because they told Shiny now- it would be easier for the younger to get over it.

Settling down, Flocke waited for Shiny's sobs to stop, and for the shaking to calm. He continued his wordless melody until then.

* * *

Shiny tried to shove his friend away. Instead he fell down in a bawling mess. As much as he loved the other chicks, he didn't want their empathy right now. He needed his mother's. He tried to tell Flocke that, but it just came out as another incoherent cry of anguish.

Flocke's smooth voice started carrying away his hurt after a while. His vocals were considerably more natural and calming than Larimar's attempt at a ditty. He soon felt like he had used up all of his tears, and took control of his loud wailing. Feeling ashamed of his outburst, he started struggling against Flocke again.

"C-can we...find her?" he asked, unable to hold back a few last tears that started rolling down his face. "Where did you pick up my egg?"

Larimar watched them, stiff and still as a statue. Her tasseled tail lashed thoughtfully. She did feel sorry for the weeping chick, and a little guilty for helping fool him into thinking she was his mother. But his angry reaction had sparked something else inside her. She was wary of Shiny. What of he hated her? _That would be reasonable_ , she thought, inching away from Flocke and her former 'son'.

* * *

When Shiny calmed down, Flocke backed away, giving the younger some space. He didn't know how to answer the chick. He didn't want to hurt Shiny by saying, " _No, your mother is gone._ ", but at the same time, he couldn't say, " _Yes. We, can find her._ " It was a choice between false hope, and destroying hope. Which would hurt less in the end?

Flocke no longer saw the need for him to be in the middle of this, so he walked over to Lolly and Flaw. He sat in the middle of them, (closest to Lolly) and watched the others like they were.

* * *

Lolly watched the scene with anguish, feeling horrible for both Flocke and Shiny. Life was so rough for them, why couldn't anything be easy? If their mothers were there, none of this would be happening, she knew. They had to grow up so fast in this world. She was relieved when it was over and Flocke came to sit by her, and she sat by him in silence for a while.

When she could stand it no longer, she approached Shiny and prodded him gently. "You want anything from me? D'you want to talk? Or, maybe you'd like to play?" She could break her "no playing" rule for something like this, surely. It was practically her duty.

* * *

"I...I'm okay." Shiny's head sank into his breast as he tried to hide the mess of tears still running down his face. "She's alive, i-isn't s-s-she?" He inclined his head to Lolly, staring the large brown chick square in the face. "She's looking for me?"

Like the others had not too long ago, Shiny was struggling with life and death. He knew about death. That deer Skah and Ghost had caught as dead. He was alive, the other griffins were alive. So his mom was alive, right? She'd been right there, talking to him. She couldn't have just...died! He remembered her screams right before she dropped his egg in that bush. _She was in distress. Is she okay now?  
_

* * *

Larimar wanted to say no. She wanted to scream _No, our moms got lost and we're never going to find them!_ She still clung to that last hope of her mother being alive, but she'd long since given up on ever finding her. At least not as a flightless chick.

She remembered the hawks, the possibilities in her unfledged wings. "Not now," she murmured. Larimar wasn't sure if Shiny could hear. She didn't want him to. "One day, but not now," she said to herself.

* * *

Lolly sighed, not exactly sure how to answer him. "It's possible. She could be out there. But I don't think she'll be looking for you. She'll probably have given you up as lost. If my mother is still alive, that's what she's done as well. Something bad's happened, Shiny, and mommies and chicks have been separated by it. However, if we are strong and grow up, we can fly anywhere we want! One day, we may even be able to find out what happened to our mothers. But that day won't come for a while, so we have to work on staying alive. That means I'll have your back, and you'll have mine so we all can see that day. Do you understand?"

Having been silent for so long, saying so much in one go dried out her throat, and most of it had been rambling. She only hoped that it had been a comforting spiel.


	44. - - Part III, Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Flaw shifted slightly and ruffled his wings, looking between the chicks and shiny. He was able to piece together an assumption of what happened, and it interested him. They had lied to the chick about his mother, and gave him a peace of mind until he was old enough to deal with the truth. The green chick let out a quiet sigh and looked at the ground in thought.

* * *

"I...I..." Shiny just nodded. He was afraid to say yes because he knew he would probably break down again. Lolly's words did make him feel a little better. _Mommy's alive! I'll get big wings and fly to her one day._ He sat down again, his eyes cast down as he tried to think positively.

Larimar started to amble away from the group. "Hey," she said, hoping to provide a positive distraction. "I'm getting sort of hungry. You guys want to eat?"

* * *

Lolly smiled at Larimar and Flaw. "Sure, I could eat. Say, you guys hungry? I'll show you where the best bits are!" She jumped up and followed Larimar, glancing back to see if she was being followed.

* * *

Larimar started digging up the food she'd cached a day ago. It was easier since the dirt was loose this time. There was still a good portion of the fawn left. She sniffed it a few times, clacking her beak with mild disappointment.

"It'll do," Larimar grumbled. The enticing smell of fresh meat had been replaced by a slightly stale but nonetheless pleasing odor. She dug right in, gesturing for the other chicks to join her.

* * *

Flaw gave Flocke a nod and followed the blue chick over to where the food was, tentative on if there was a pecking order of who ate first or anything of the sort, the green chick hung back slightly, though his stomach growled loudly and he chittered softly to himself.

* * *

Seeing his hesitance, Lolly nudged Flaw with a friendly wink. "Come on and eat! You can sit next to me if you want. I like sharing. I'll even let you have the best bits, I don't mind eating scraps." The large chick was partially lying, but having her friends eat well was more important to her than filling her gut. This sacrifice was already making her a bit bony, but the two large meals she had would remedy that for a while.

She sat next to what remained of the fawn and patted the spot beside her. She ate a mouthful of meat as she waited, but made sure to keep inviting Flaw to her side. She hadn't gotten to know him a lot and was eager to get to know him better.

* * *

"So..." Larimar tried for a weak smile, trying to dispel the solemnness that hung in the air around her. "How's our flock, Shy? Uh...are we good?"

She tore off some of the softest remains of the deer, picking out the cleanest parts and pulling them closer to her. Lolly's offer showed what a great friend the large chick was. Larimar, however, still felt that primitive sense of self-preservation, and felt the need to separate _hers_ from _theirs_.

Thinking back to the food she had hoarded earlier, she started feeling guilty for her selfishness. Forcing another upbeat smile, she pushed back the shoulder meat and settled with a few fleshy bones.

* * *

Flaw was fairly surprised when Lolly warmed up to him so suddenly and offered him a spot to sit. He followed a bit hesitantly and sat down next to the female chick, getting a few good bites in before Larimar spoke to him. He lifted his head and listened to her question before he nodded eagerly. He rather enjoyed the flock from what he had seen, most everyone had a friendly demeanor. He split some of the better pieces off of the part he was eating at and pushed them towards Lolly, in a way to try to say thanks, for offering the better parts of food and for being friendly.

* * *

Lolly smiled at the gift, truly flattered by the kindness. "Thank you, Shy. I hope we become good friends as we grow up. I want to be good friends with all of my flock." Something about saying "my flock" made her swell with joy and pride. She didn't notice Larimar's struggle, nor would she have cared that the chick was being selfish. Selflessness was her self-given duty, and she didn't want to force it on others.

She eagerly ate what she was offered and ate only enough to be full, making sure to leave plenty for anyone else who came after her. Still, they'd have to eat it fast. It was starting to go off, and they would need to hunt for their next meal no doubt. Still, for the moment she enjoyed the company about the kill.

* * *

Flaw smiled and nodded in agreement at what Lolly said and finished eating what he had pulled off of the fawn, the chick chewed s slowly, savoring the flavor that was left in the meat, he wondered how the others had taken down such a large creature; he felt behind, the flock was so amazing so far, already hunting as chicks, while Flaw himself only knew how to scavenge things like berries, which weren't very filling.


	45. - - Part III, Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

Larimar finished her meal with a satisfied burp. She plopped down a few steps away from the other two, relaxing in the shade. The soft breeze and cool, comfy ground lulled her into a peaceful state. She retreated into herself, letting her many troubles fade away, and eased into a catnap.

Shiny felt like sulking around more, but a rumble in his tummy convinced him to join the others for food. He ate in silence, taking Larimar's place when she was done.

* * *

Not to far away, another hungry creature was looking for something to eat. The raccoon's head lifted, the scent of good meat hitting its black nose. Most of the deer had already been consumed, but its aroma still called to the starved critter. He started toward it and was startled by what he found…

* * *

Lolly's senses are much sharper than they were before, and she senses the creature early on since she's finished eating. She arches her back and growls. "Something's here." she hisses.

She prowls toward the scent cautiously, puffed up and ready for a fight.

* * *

Larimar perked up. "What?" Her eyes opened half way. She took in a deep whiff of air, stiffening when she, too, sensed a new animal she'd never met before. Struggling to her feet, she crept up behind Lolly to try and get a look at it.

"What's going on?" Shiny asked loudly. Larimar shot him a dirty look, but his curiosity got the best of him. Besides, she wasn't his mommy anymore. He didn't have to listen to _everything_ she said. _That's a cool smell._ He inched closer to the pair of dark, beady eyes, passing the two girls.

* * *

Flocke, who had just been finishing up when he heard the girls talking about a strange smell, lifted his head to get a whiff. Whatever it was, it smelled dangerous. When he looked back down, he saw Shiny walking over to where the smell was coming from. Hos eyes bulged.

' _What's he doing!?_ ' he thought before racing over to Shiny. He clasped his beak around the chick's neck feathers and quickly pulled him back just as the raccoon lunged forward to catch their youngest. Flocke quickly got to his feet and began pushing Shiny back and away from the masked beast.

The raccoon snarled at the loss of its meal before meandering closer. It wasn't cautious like the fox had been, though it was definitely alert and wary of a fight. It seemed very sure of itself, as if a group of griffin chicks was nothing. The closer it got, the further back the chicks went. Soon, they'd be up against the hollow if they didn't start fighting back. Flocke kept Shiny behind him the entire time.

* * *

"Hey!" Shiny glared at Flocke. "I can take that...that...thing on!" He trembled despite his bold words, secretly glad that his blue friend was protecting him. The raccoon made a weird spitting noise. Shiny may not have spoken its language, but he knew that it was mad.

Larimar's feathers were all puffed up. She kept her eyes on this new beast, fluttering her wings to make herself look bigger. "We need to run," she hissed toward the others. _Where's Matoskah?_ She pushed the thought to the back of her head. Still, he and Ghost would have been a great help with their fighting experience.

* * *

Lolly kept close to Shiny to keep the raccoon from hurting him. She briefly wondered where Ghost and Skah were, but pushed that thought aside. _"All that matters is what's happening right now. I protect them, like I always have."  
_  
She was not much smaller than the raccoon, so she was much more confident than with the fox. "Come on! Try something!" she snarled to the half-starved beast. "I can and will take you on."

* * *

Skah and Ghost had been lying in the sun, enjoying its warmth, resting from their previous days efforts. They were slightly away from the rest of the group and as such the scent of the raccoon reached them last. But they were alert immediately having met the creature during their travels before. Wordlessly the pair sprang into action as Lolly shepherded Shiny away from the danger. Skah limped his way determinedly in front of the rest of the group placing them behind him and the raccoon in front of him. He fluffed his feathers up as he walked so that he looked bigger than their adversary. He his menacingly, his eyes slit. He was ready.

Ghost in the meantime had adopted Skah's move from days before when he had ambushed Flocke, drifting around while staying out of sight. She decided on her way that an outright confrontation was not desirable. She was sure that they could take the raccoon quite easily, but if they could scare the animal away without hurting it, or themselves, she would be happy. Her mind made up Ghost reached a point, perpendicular to the raccoon's hindquarters. She stepped out of the brush and loudly onto a stick letting the raccoon know there was more opponents around. She steeled herself, ready to move fast as the raccoon swung its gaze around and saw her standing at its back.

* * *

Larimar tried to slip past the raccoon while Ghost distracted it. She wrapped her tail around Flocke's leg, tugging him in the same direction. Shiny noticed her, but he was reluctant to leave the two older chicks who were facing off with the assailant. Larimar quickly worked to devise an escape plan. Could it run fast? Could it climb trees? _Too many questions! I don't know anything about this creature.  
_

* * *

With the raccoon distracted, Lolly made a lunge for its neck. It was too big to bite into like the heron's. she had to find the right spot. Until then, she had to fight to stay on, for the raccoon bucked and shrieked at the attacks from all sides.

Overwhelmed, the raccoon began to lash out at chicks blindly, hoping to sink claws or teeth into soft chick flesh.


	46. - - Part III, Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Alarm sparked across Skah's face and was similarly mirrored on Ghost's. Neither had wanted to directly confront the raccoon, hoping merely to drive it off through well constructed threatening displays. But Lolly had committed herself to an outright attack, and now they had to make a choice. Skah knew that he could take the raccoon easily, on a good day, but with his damaged leg he wasn't so sure. He took a hesitant step forward before halting grudgingly.

Ghost watched Lolly try and keep a firm hold of the now thrashing raccoon. She was caught in a situation that she did not want to be in. She wanted to help Lolly, but her first instinct was to preserve herself. Dark thoughts drifted through her mind as she watched the struggle. She knew that if it had been Skah she would have dived in straight away. But she also knew that if it had been Skah, he wouldn't need her help. The alarm dropped from her face then her mind made up. She would help Lolly, but only if the situation was desperate or Skah joined the fray.

* * *

Larimar darted past the raccoon. She didn't stop running until she reached the base of a nearby tree. She didn't know that raccoons could climb, and was acting completely out of panic anyway. Her friends were still fighting it. She cringed every time they were narrowly missed by its teeth or claws. "Flocke! Shiny!" she shouted.

"Lolly!" Shiny shrieked. He ran toward his friends, ready to _kill_ that big, meany, hissy raccoon. Luckily, it was still trying to get Lolly off, and didn't notice the little chick trying to challenge it that it easily could have eaten.

* * *

Shiny's shriek broke through Skah's frozen mind. Some sort of fatherly instinct kicked in for him and as Shiny tried to dart past him and aid Lolly he swung his right foreleg out catching the small Shiny on the shoulder and knocking him to the ground. It would have hurt, but not as much as getting attacked by the raccoon would. "Stay", he barked at the slightly stunned Shiny before he turned and eyed the raccoon searching for and opening. He still didn't want to kill it, for some reason he didn't think that they needed to. He was of a similar size to the raccoon, but very much lighter in weight. As the raccoon's tail whipped past him, the beginnings of an idea blossomed in his mind. "Ghost" he called, "Watch its head for me".

He waited for the tail to lash in front of him again, at which point he stomped down firmly with his left foot and raised his right ready to swipe at the raccoon's face if it turned on him.

* * *

Flocke, hearing Larimar call him, began for the tree. When he heard Shiny, he turned just in time to see Skah stop the chick from attacking the raccoon. He would have rolled his eyes at the younger's display of naïve courage, if wasn't so scared for the chick. Quickly running back to Shiny, Flocke closed his beak around the scruff of Shiny's neck and forcefully pulled the younger over to the tree. He ignored the way Shiny was attempting to get away and finally got him to the stump. Larimar was already on the first branch.

"Shiny, climb. _Now_." he said with a voice he'd never used before. It was slightly deeper in tone, and even scared him. It was the voice of someone who wanted another to listen, and wasn't going to take any excuses. Flocke then began pushing Shiny up the tree towards Larimar.

Thankfully, the raccoon still seemed to be distracted.

* * *

Larimar let out a scream of her own when she saw Matoskah plunge in to save Shiny. _What is that dumb chick doing?!_ She let out a sigh of relief when Flocke dragged her friend away from danger. The two older chicks seemed to have the upper hand now. Larimar wasn't sure if they could kill the raccoon, but it looked like they would soon drive him off.

* * *

At first, Shiny struggled with Flocke. He wanted to finish that raccoon off and show Ghost and Skah that he could be a strong fighter, too. However, Skah made it quite clear that he would have none of Shiny's dangerous antics. He started scrabbling up the trunk at Flocke's command, unsure of how to climb. Larimar grabbed his wing with her foot and dragged him up to where she is.

"Stupid," she hissed. "Stupid, stupid! You could have put Skah in danger, too!" She shoved him aside to make room for Flocke before he could reply.

* * *

Flocke scrambled up the tree after Shiny and settled on the branch. He clung on for a moment, catching his breath. Looking down, Flocke realized he still hated heights. The fight below seemed farther away than it really was. Shaking his head, he turned to Larimar. He gave her a slight glare, having heard what she said, but there wasn't any venom behind it.

"He's not stupid... he just wasn't thinking. He wanted to help." Flocke could easily relate to the not thinking part... He turned his head to look at Shiny.

"You're not quite big enough yet to fight that thing. It's not a bad thing- I'm not big enough either- it just means you have to use your head instead..." With that said, Flocke began to look around. He wanted to help too, after all. Yeah, he was too small to fight the thing head on, but that didn't mean he couldn't do _something_.

That's when he saw the acorns...

With a fiendish smirk, Flocke plucked a few and handed them to Larimar and Shiny. ' _They're not rocks, but~..._ '

"How about some target practice? A point, every time you hit the mean thing. You lose a point if you hit the others. Ready?" Flocke was pretty sure he could aim well enough to hit only the coon. At the very least, it would annoy the thing and make it go away.

* * *

Lolly let herself be flung from the raccoon's neck and landed a bit roughly on the ground, dusting herself off and getting up fairly quickly. She glanced over her friends, checking to see if they were hurt. No one appeared to be.

Now that Ghost and Skah were in the fight, she decided to do as they did, though she did take care to stay out of the way. Watching the dangerous bits of the raccoon, it's head and claws, she paced around it, waiting for someone to give an order or for the raccoon to make a move.

* * *

With Lolly out of the way, the raccoon realised that something had a hold of its tail. It swung its head around, jaws open. Skah struck it with speed and force dragging his claws across its snout. Blood sprung instantly and it stumbled back a couple of steps. Skah raised his foreleg again and hissed threateningly. Ghost took a step forward and added her own hissing cry. The raccoon took another step backwards. They were suceeding in driving it off, but theh needed one more attack.

* * *

Larimar frowned, but Flocke's genius suggestion brought her attention back to the much more pressing matter. She seized the nearest acorn-bearing branch and helped Shiny pick a few off. _If only any of us were big enough to fight it_ , she thought. It was a good thing the stronger chicks were working together, or the raccoon would have stood a much better chance.

That feeling started creeping up on her again. _I should be helping them fight._ She hadn't climbed up the tree because of a plan like Flocke's to help her friends. Once again she'd decided to be the freeloader, a coward perfectly capable of fighting who was just too scared to help.

"Okay," she said to Shiny, trying not to take her frustration out on the sad chick. "Wait for it to get closer...n- wait...no...NOW!"

She flung her two projectiles as hard as she could. One missed, but the other hit the masked scavenger right in the head, narrowly missing Lolly, who had just been thrown from its back. Shiny was hurling his has hard as possible beside her. Most of them missed. _At least he's making an effort._


	47. - - Part III, Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

Once Larimar and Shiny were throwing acorns, Flocke began as well. He aimed the best he could, but like Shiny, most of them missed. However, the ones that did hit the target, hit perfectly. One in the eye, another smacked right on the nose _hard_ , and another to its hip bone, which would probably leave a bruise.

The trio continued their onslaught of acorn rain, even when the raccoon began to show signs of defeat. The entire time, Flocke kept count of who hit what, and in all honesty... he was losing. By, like, fifteen points... But he couldn't find the will to care- he was having too much fun.

One of the chicks below- he didn't really see who- made one final attack on the beast, before it finally turned tail and ran. It growled as it left, obviously unhappy with the loss of a meal. Flocke threw one final acorn and hit it square on its bum.

"And don't come back!" he called after it. With a snarky grin, he turned back to his two friends on the branch. He was breathing heavily from all the tossing he'd just done. "Good job guys! You both beat me!" After giving them congratulatory pats on the back, he began the slow decent down the tree. (He didn't want to be in it any longer than was needed...) He ran over to Skah and the others.

"We beat it! That'll teach the beast to mess with us ever again!" he cried happily. Another victory- we're they certain that they were just chicks? Because Flocke felt more like an adult at this point! Sitting down, Flocke began to let his adrenaline leave. It was time to rest and talk about their win against the creature.

* * *

Lolly watched the raccoon run away with satisfaction. They were more than enough to handle anything like that now. Still, she felt a twinge of compassion for it when she saw its protruding ribs and saggy skin. Why couldn't it hunt for itself? There was plenty of prey around and she'd seen other raccoons like it in the forest that were plump and happy. Was it hurt or ill? Part of her hoped that it found its meal elsewhere, but another told her that if it was weak, it would die. That's how this world seemed to work.

She wanted to forget the raccoon as soon as possible, so she was hoping no one would bring it up. Still, she knew it was foolish to expect that. Who wouldn't want to talk about being attacked so soon after? She kept her mouth shut on the matter and decided to not feel anything for the raccoon. Easier said than done.

* * *

"Yay!" Shiny hugged Larimar with his wing, jumping up and down with glee. Victory! Like Flocke, Shiny now felt unstoppable. _I can't believe we did it._ He smiled.

"Careful," Larimar said, steadying him with her fore-claws. She looked down nervously, scared of her friend falling. She pulled him back from the edge and gave him a small but excited squeeze with her own left wing. Then she started slowly climbing down. The incident with the hawk was still burned deeply into her mind, but she steeled herself and went as quickly as she could anyway.

Shiny didn't have too much trouble once Larimar told him how to grip the bark correctly. He inched down and sprang off the trunk at the bottom. Giving another triumphant cry, he bounded over to his friends to celebrate.

* * *

The whole fight Flaw had frozen at the mere sight of the masked creature. A raccoon, a violent creature that certainly liked to rip things apart with those freakish... paws of theirs. Bad experiences and memories had surfaced, the little green chick watched the fight in awe and terror, barely able to breathe, let alone move to help or hide. His breathing had been shallow and his eyes wide with sheer terror at the furry beast.

* * *

Lolly smiled at Shiny as he approached. "The thing is gone now, and I don't smell anything like it around. We can all rest easy, for the moment." Lolly worriedly noticed that Flaw was still frozen in fear though the danger had past. She kept an eye on him as she sat with her friends, beginning to groom the gray hair out of her coat.

"We're becoming quite the team." she said, thinking aloud. "I think...I think we can handle pretty much anything now. All we have to do is keep on living and growing, and soon we won't have anything to worry about." This was wishful thinking, she knew, as things were never that easy, but for a moment she could believe it.

* * *

"Yeah!" Flocke responded to Lolly. "Let's see one of those mean things try to mess with _us_ again!" he said confidently. He then also noticed Flaw's stillness and quietly trotted over to him. "Hey. You okay Shy?" he asked kindly. He lightly nudged Flaw's shoulder in an attempt to snap the other male out of his daze.

' _I_ _guess the raccoon scared him..._ ' Flocke thought. He gave Flaw a large grin. "It's okay. That raccoon won't mess with you as long as we're around." Flocke then moved to sit next to Lolly. He motioned for Flaw to sit next to him before turning to Lolly and the others.

"Soooo... What now?" he asked. If that raccoon found them, then something else might, too. Even though Flocke was fairly sure they could take anything on at the moment, he didn't really want to chance it. Still, it wasn't his call- it was Skah's. The silently appointed leader of the group. Flocke decided then and there, that no matter what happened, he would always follow Skah's orders. It just felt like the right way of thinking for Flocke.

He looked expectantly at the others, waiting for someone to answer his question.

* * *

Wth the raccoon gone Skah felt his limbs grow heavy and the pain of his hurt leg returned in full force. He limped a few steps closer to the den before collapsing onto the ground with his leg jutting out awkwardly. He glanced at Flocke before answering his question. "We need to find somewhere safer. Somewhere that we can stay for a while while we get bigger."

Ghost paced lithely I while the others talked. Having tasted action so soon in thr day she felt alive and wanted more. She didn't want to sit around here talking, she wanted to move. She wanted to do hunt, to kill, to live.

* * *

"Yes, of course." Larimar tried to get right back into action. She bumped Shiny and went over to Skah. Shiny noticed she was walking oddly all of a sudden: her tail higher and her legs moving in a more...stately matter, almost. It was weird how his former mommy had gone from exhausted to eager with a fluffed-out coat and a taller, prouder gait.

Larimar didn't get _too_ close to the older chick. Her emerald gaze settled on his injured leg. "Are you okay?" she asked, holding out a wing for a moment before pulling it back again. Larry just stood there after that, not really knowing what she was to do.

* * *

The small group of chicks decided to rest for the rest of the day. The raccoon attack had tired them all out. Ghost went to hunt for the group and the rest slept near the log. They took turns watching for danger and spent the day happily in each others company.

When the next day came, they all decided it was time to find a more permanent home. Following Skah and Ghost, they walked through the uncharted forest. It took about a week of traveling, fighting creatures, running from creatures and sleeping in cramped cracks of whatever they could find before they found a suitable place to settle down.

It would be here that they would stay until they were big enough to truly defend themselves. There were plenty of hiding spots, and food was abundant enough that they would be able to last.

However, after some months of growing happily, the world grew cold. The food supply died down, and the air turned chilly. The chicks found themselves huddling close most days, and hunger was becoming a constant problem. Flocke himself began to wonder if the world was finally ending.


	48. Book 2 (Changes)

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg." - C. S. Lewis

* * *

\- CHICKS OF DESTINY -

\- BOOK TWO -

CHANGES

* * *

The second book of survival.

Featuring chapters 41 - 84 of Parts IV - VII.

Here we continue after the molting of their down.

* * *

Brief summary of Book 2  
 _Part IV...the flock reunites after the hard winter, and a newcomer brings danger their way  
_ _Part V...an enemy is defeated and more new faces are greeted, the hard lessons continue  
_ _Part VI...a small disaster shakes the flock, awakening old tensions, while a separate story blossoms  
_ _Part VII...the second story continues, a new goal is realized, and an important journey begins_


	49. - Book 2, Part IV (Cub Stage A)

**Chicks of Destiny**  
 **Book 2**

* * *

PART IV:

CUB STAGE A

* * *

In which a long winter ends,  
the world is warmed by spring,  
a flock is brought together to find  
new names and new dangers alike.


	50. - - Part IV, Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

Flocke was miserable. The cold days were a pain, and his stubby chick feathers gave little protection from the chilled wind. Huddling with the others was the only way to stay warm now, and even that was wasn't doing much. When they tried to sleep, they pretty much had to pile on top of one another, and switch around so that everyone got a fair share of warmth. Therefore, between all of the moving around and the freezing temperature, Flocke barely got to sleep at all. Then there was the hunger...

Since the food supply died down, Flocke found himself eating less than he should. This wasn't because of the shortage of food, but rather, because he wanted the others to get enough food for themselves. He felt like they needed it more than him.

That was his fault; his weakness. He was too caring. Too selfless. He'd kill himself simply by being kind and giving. But even though the frigid cold was shortening his usually patient temper, he couldn't find it in himself to care. He truly wanted the others to survive, even at the cost of his own life. So day after day, as the kills brought in from a painfully short hunt began to dwindle, Flocke would only take a slight nibble, and then let the rest feast on whatever scraps were left.

Most days it was just a couple of field mice, and they'd take turns eating. But sometimes, if they were _really_ lucky, they'd catch a rabbit, and everyone could feast. But even with a rabbit, Flocke usually tried to hold back his cravings.

It was somewhat of a miracle that he survived. And that he stayed sane.

As miserable as the winter was for him though, he found that he very much enjoyed the first day it snowed. For the first time in many weeks, he was able to ignore the chill in his bones, and the hunger pains in his gut. The strange new flakes, slowly drifting down from the sky was something he could only describe as beauty. He ended up jumping around, trying to catch the pretty things. It was a happy day for him. And for the first time in a while, he felt warm again.

However, the snow began to taunt him as it collected on the ground. After some days passed, the compact snow kept his (larger now, but still) small form from being able to go anywhere. Now confined to the small den they were all sharing, Flocke simply focused on getting bigger. And to some extent, he did. By the time the world grew warmer, and the snow melted away, he was only a couple inches smaller than he should have been by that time. His size was relatively normal, his cub feathers were coming in, and he just survived his first winter. All in all, Flocke felt pretty good about himself.

* * *

Flocke woke up to the sound of something he dearly missed. The soothing whistles of morning birds. Stretching, the now brown feathered chick opened his bright blue eyes to a new spring filled world. While hints of the past winter still lingered, like the slight chill in the early spring air, they was feint. Flocke breathed in the world around him, looking at his home. The place he had lived and survived in for the past few months. Smiling brightly, he turned back towards his sleeping nest mates.

"Get up guys! I'm hungry!" he said happily, and waited to see who would wake up to join him.

* * *

 **Winter**

Winter was hard for them all, no less so even for Skah and Ghost. Even with their hunting abilities the small group went hungry more often than not, the prey just seemed to disappear. It didn't help that Skah's leg had taken several weeks to heal, during which time he had very little movement. To this day he still has a dull ache and stiffness in it.

They were testing times for Skah, holed up with the other chicks. The sight of snow brought him some temporary joy, but his gruff personality returned soon enough. Along with the cold, their near constant companion. Mentally two things got Skah through the winter, his mother's words to him, you are the future, and Ghost's presence. He repeated the mantra to himself hour after hour, fuelling his resolve to survive the winter.

He remained fairly distant from the other chicks although he did develop a slight sense of familiarity with them. Mostly it was the others learning to sense his mood.

Progressively his dark black fur began to fall out leaving behind dull brown feathers. It meant little to him, other than another sign he was growing.

Winter for Ghost was no less challenging. She lived with the constant frustration of failing to bring home enough food for the group. She did receive some pleasure from teaching the others hunting skills, with varying levels of success. While Skah had remained distant and brooding, Ghost had made connections with the other chicks. Skah may have considered himself the leader before winter, but certainly during winter Ghost had assumed the role of leadership. And it was a role that she relished.

When her dense brown fur began to fall out and was replaced by similarly coloured feathers, Ghost could barely contain her joy. To her it was one more step closer to flying.

* * *

 **Now**

Ghost raised her head from where she had rested it on her paws turning to the clearly excited Flocke. She shared his hunger as well, they all did. But she was hungry for other things as well. Ghost stepped out into the lush grass peppered with flowers before breathing deeply. Her eyes watched the birds acrobatic antics in the sky with anticipation. "Where are do you want to go today Flocke?" she queried.

Skah woke from his dreams abruptly with a slight growl. He clambered to his feet stretching his now healed leg out. It still gave him some trouble now and then but it was mostly fine. Skah walked past Flocke in silence, casting a temporary shadow over the smaller male. Flocke had grown considerably, but then so had the others. Skah was the largest and had the potential to be the strongest, but a poor diet and lack of exercise had left him slightly thinner and leaner than he should have been.

Skah stopped at Ghost's shoulder. He glanced down at her menacingly when she asked Flocke what they should do and not him. He didn't rise to her carefully concealed taunt though, maintaining his steely silence. The breaking of winter was almost a herald for him, it signalled the end of his self-imposed subservience. He would show the others who was better, the four words whispered through his mind.

* * *

"Hmm..." Flocke pondered Ghost's question. He was completely oblivious to how she was using him to taunt Skah, so he answered the question like he normally would. "Well, it's still early enough that we might find some rabbits in the nearby meadow, but we might have more luck looking for something in the forest."

Now that he thought about it, he didn't want to make the choice. If he chose to go to the meadow, and there was nothing there, he'd feel guilty. And if he chose to go to the forest, and they had no luck, it would be his fault. Taking a glance at the older male who was still plenty bigger than him in every way, Flocke instantly knew what to say. Whether it was because he was aware of who was in charge, or just plain instinct, no one could really tell. Maybe it was just innocent luck...

"Where do you think we should go Skah? I really don't care where we hunt, just as long as we get _food_..." he said thinking dreamily about whatever they might catch. Now that the food supply was going back up, he decided it was fair to be a bit of a pig now. And if he wanted more than what the group could catch, then he just needed to hunt for himself. Thankfully, he actually could hunt now. The lessons with Ghost had done wonders for his clumsily quick feet.

"But first, we should wait to see if anyone else is coming." he said, looking back into the den for some movement. He wondered if they had heard him.

* * *

Many miles away, two other cubs were just awaking from their own harsh winter. A once large, red, male chick was now the same camouflaging brown as all other cubs his age. However, he still contained his blood red eyes. His younger, smaller sister, while also covered in brown plumage, had stunning orange eyes instead of her brother's cruel red.

The two had been just as miserable as the main group during their winter. They had huddled up in the small crack of a tree, and waited there for winters end. The brother, Gladiolus, would go hunting often, and was usually able to find plenty of food for himself. He ended up letting his sister, Tulip, fend for herself. She was a quick learner, even without the help of her neglectful brother, and was soon able to find plenty for herself as well.

All the siblings really had to worry about was the freezing temperature, which they had very little protection from. Just two cubs wasn't enough to keep warm. In the end, Gladiolus managed to kill a fox and used its body to keep their makeshift den warm.

They didn't meet any other chicks throughout winter, much to Tulip's relief. Her stomach still turned at the thought of them eating the past few chicks they found throughout summer and autumn. There were very few, but it was still appalling. She often found herself wondering what their lives had been like before Gladiolus found them. They must of been like her to some extent. Alone, scared and hoping to find an adult to take care of them... and all of it was taken away when Gladiolus killed them.

Now that they were bigger, Tulip hoped that Gladiolus would be less likely to kill and eat any new cubs they happened across. Perhaps they could find _friends_. However, one look at her brother- with his arrogant stance, and cruel demeanor- told her it was best to try and avoid others.

Her brother didn't like company, and she didn't doubt for even a second, that someday soon, he'd abandon her. God forbid they meet again after that. He probably wouldn't acknowledge her as his sister the second time they meet, and he'd kill her on sight.

However, she tried not to think about it. She could focus on the here and now, and think about the future when it came. For now, she'd enjoy the company of her bloodthirsty brother…

* * *

Skah clicked his beak at Ghost, a slight display of arrogance before striding forwards considering Flocke's suggestions. They were sound, and he thought he was right in concluding they would have more luck in the forest. They were bigger now and their colouring would make it easier for them to blend in. Besides he felt somehow drawn to the forest, it was where he had spent those first few days with his mother and where he had learned to live by his own wits. "The forest", he said simply as he stretched out his wings. It was an instinct now for him to stretch his wings.

Ghost didn't flinch under Skah's steely gaze or when he snapped at her. She was in a way happy that he was behaving more normally. She turned to Flocke and slight glint of disappointment in her eyes. She loved Skah, and he loved her in his own little way, but she had a new respect for Flocke that had grown during the winter. Somehow she felt that Flocke wasn't giving his all, or fulfilling his potential. Cheekily she flicked her tail at Flocke catching him on the shoulder.

* * *

Flocke felt the very slight sting of Ghost's tail and turned to her surprised and confused. What did he do? He was just standing here... He summed it up to her being a girl.

' _Girl's are weird._ ' he decided. He was finally getting to that age...


	51. - - Part IV, Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

The morning mists were just begenning to clear when Flasher awoke from her nest. She yawned, stretching her great wings and flexed her tawny talons. Another day, another hunt, another chance...

"Well, at least I have another chance to find another nest." she thought. Even though she had found her gem a long time ago, a small pearl, she had yet to find the perfect nest. The places she found were either too noisy, had too many insects, too exposed, too wet, too cold, too dark or already inhabited by other wild animals such as grizzly bears and other animals that she could not defeat without seriously hurting herself.

Sighing, she rolled up the wooly, warm blanket which she had found in the village, piched up her pearl, and kicked off into the sky. She would find her breakfast later...

The hare didn't stand a chance when Flasher leapt up on it. She sank her beak into its neck, and tossed it onto the fire. Sighing at her failed attempts to build a proper nest, she threw the remains onto the fire and watched as it flared, consuming all her efforts. "Well, at least this stealing attempt was successful." she thought to herself. Flasher unrolled her blanket, revealing a large dagger in its sheath. Suddenly, Flasher felt a sudden pull to the ruby gilded on the tip of the dagger's hilt, and she smiled at her earlier futile attempts to pry it off. "It has been forged into the metal by the humans, silly." She picked up the dagger and placed it next to her gemstone. "Now..., let's see how many things I have stolen from the Humans."

She began to count them and sort them into groups.

"One crossbow, twelve quality tin arrows, one great wool blanket, two - no THREE daggers, one anklet and two dynamite sticks. Oh, and the pearl."  
In her isolation, Flasher had developed a strange habit of chatting to herself when she was alone. In her time when she still lived with her family in a flock, there was nothing she liked better than a good gossip by the fireside. Now the humans had killed and kidnapped most of them, except for her cousin Rondover, who lived in the ORDER. He claimed that the ORDER loved griffins and wanted to protect them, but Flasher wasn't so sure. She glanced up at the night sky, and tried to count the stars. "Was the moon a star or a gigantic, floating, glowing pearl?" She finished her dinner and fell asleep pondering that question.

* * *

Finally having enough of standing around, Skah made his way towards the stream that flowed past the mouth of their cave. The water was cold almost eternally as it flowed from the mountain peaks. He scooped some water up with his beak gulping it down. A flash of colour briefly entered his vision. Fish were common but he had trouble catching them, they were small and slippery. Skah slapped the water with his paw in irritation before stalking off down the rivers edge.

Ghost followed Skah at a distance before moving into the undergrowth a short way. The sound of the river could still be heard but now the sounds of the forest could also be heard. The call of a bird, the chattering of squirrels and the creaking of the trees. A mischievous idea occurred to Ghost then.

She settled into 'hunting mode' with ease, really it was not that much different to her normal behaviour. She stalked back towards the river, following Skah. She knew that she was putting in more effort than was necessary, as he wouldn't hear her at the best of times. She continued on like this, waiting for the opportune moment to take her friend by surprise.

* * *

Flocke left the opening of the den upset. His feathers drooped and he held his head low in sadness. It the midst of the night, he had forgotten that he, Skah and Ghost were separated from the others. He missed his old friends, but knew they'd want him to move on. He quickly went to catch up with Skah and Ghost.

He saw Skah slap the water, annoyed at something, before he walked into the forest. Ghost followed soon after, while Flocke held back for a moment. He looked into the stream where Skah had been standing, and looked for what might have upset him. All he saw was his rippled reflection peering back at him curiously. Just as he was about to leave, a fish jumped from the water and whacked his beak, knocking him onto his rump, before plunging back into the cold water.

Flocke sat stunned for a moment, before he laughed at the rude greeting. Standing up, he began chasing after his two friends again. He was vaguely reminded of his mother's white feather under his wing, as it rubbed against his side softly. He had grown enough now for the feather to fit snugly between his body and wing without being seen. Soon, it would be too small to keep there, but he'd come to that when it happened.

After a minute or two, he catches up enough to see Ghost stalking Skah from the shadows. He grins broadly at what he's about to see.

* * *

Gladiolus stalked through the forest, determined and unafraid of the world around him. His blood thirsty eyes didn't miss a thing- from the possum who instantly played dead at the sight of him, to the fox who slowly snuck away out of fear of the oversized cub.

And he _was_ bigger than normal. However, it was obvious that the increase of size was slowing. Where once he looked like a monster against his normal sized sister, now he was only half a foot bigger than her.

As he walked, searching for a decent sized meal, his sister Tulip followed close behind. He no longer hunted for her, so she caught herself a few mice earlier to sustain herself.

Gladiolus did his best to ignore her. She was his sister and female, so there was definitely an instinct to protect her. However, he didn't like the feeling of familiarity and kindness at all. It had been strong when he was young, but now that they were getting older, he was finding it easier to ignore her needs. He was finally able to keep himself from hunting for her, but no matter what he did or thought, he couldn't get himself to tell her to leave or abandon her.

He sneered at his internal problem, glancing back briefly to see Tulip's curious gaze. She was too... _innocent_. He hated it. She was obviously weak. Too small, and too kind hearted. Without him, she'd be dead by now. He was the strong one, and she was the one that should have died. But his instinct got the best of him, and he helped a weakling live. Even when the time came when he could get rid of her, he wouldn't be able to _kill_ her. All he'd be able to do is send her off, or leave her while she slept. It wouldn't be until they were apart for a good amount of time, before he'd be able to see her blood flow.

' _Until then..._ ' he thought cruelly. Until then, he'd let the weakling tag along.

While he searched for someone strong. Someone he could fight to prove that he was strongest. Someone he'd kill. He knew that griffin was out there somewhere... He just had to find him.

* * *

As Skah moped his way down the river his returned to the day when the others had left. He didnt think of it often, but he was sad that they had left. Especially Shiny. The young chick had reminded him of himself, it was a rare connection that he had made. Lost in his thoughts Skah didnt sense Ghost or even Flocke trailing him.

Ghost was glad when Flocke caught up with them. He stayed out of her way, as shd knew he would. She hoped his presence would drive the message home even harder for Skah. For if truth be told Skah not only had lost some of his strength but also his keen senses from being cooped up in the cave.

Ghost turned briefly to Flocke catching his eye hoping he understood her intentions.

* * *

Flocke sees Ghost's glance and gets the slight feeling that she wants him to pounce Skah too. He widens his eyes at the thought, not sure if that's a good idea or not. It was one thing for Ghost to pounce Skah. It was something completely different for Flocke to pounce him too. Where Ghost was Skah's closest friend, Flocke was still trying to get Skah's approval.

He had accomplished that a bit during the winter and the months before-They were definitely closer than when they had first met. But he was still unsure about whether or not they had crossed that invisible line of friendship. Even if it had been barely crossed, attempting to pounce Skah seemed like a sin. He'd be attempting to walk on eggs without cracking them, and he wasn't very positive that he could do that.

He wonders if maybe he read the look wrong. That, maybe, Ghost meant for him to do something else. Perhaps she wanted him to stand back instead? He points to himself, then to Skah in a silent question.

' _You want me to pounce too?_ ' A small part of him begged for him to be wrong. Though, strangely enough, a bigger part begged for him to be right. Walking quietly, so as not to draw attention from Skah, he waited for Ghost's silent approval or denial.

* * *

 **Winter Recap**

Larimar, at first, had welcomed winter. The wind ruffled her feathers and the cooler air bit at her skin, thrilling her more than it hurt. As the seasons changed, she did as well. Her fluffy green down started to fall. (This she welcomed even more. It was impossible to preen that stuff!) She hit her growth spurt a little later than the others. It was a huge relief, finding out she wasn't going to be short her whole life. They had become proficient hunters. It looked like they were going to be fine...

But winter went on...and on...and on...The winds became stronger, throwing her around when she went outside. The prey disappeared. It was almost impossible to hunt. Greed once again overtook her, and she returned to that shameful habit of hoarding for a while. Her growing feathers looked awful. At least she was so concerned with survival that she couldn't dwell on how ugly, thin, and gangly she was. She _hated_ sharing a stinky den with everyone. She started to hate sharing anything. Her bright, beautiful, and self-centered world had become a living hell.

Just when she was ready to give up on it all, spring began to arrive! Her feathers were shedding their coverings, becoming sleek and full again. These new ones were bigger, stronger, lighter, and provided much better camouflage. Hunting was a little easier. Still hard for her, but not impossible. Skah, Ghost, Flocke, and Flaw had all pulled through. Things were starting to look up for Larimar.

* * *

 **Present**

"Hey," Shiny prodded his friend, blinking as he rose from his place in the den. The other cubs were all gone. He felt a twinge of guilt for not helping them hunt, but he and Larimar were both still tired from their failed attempt last night. "Larry?"

"Don't call me that anymore!" Larimar snapped, rolling over so she was no longer facing him. She glanced back over her shoulder, her emerald eyes glittering with annoyance. "My wing still hurts. I'm not going out."

Shiny frowned. _She's so irritable now._ He'd done his best to keep a cautious but optimistic mood during the winter. Larimar, however, hated their predicament and showed it in everything she did. He hoped she would return to her cheerful self with the warmer weather and easier life.

Sighing, he stretched each wing and leg in unison, preparing for a new day. He was no longer a helpless ball of fluff, but he knew he wasn't fully grown yet either. These new feathers were earthy brown, a shade darker than Matoskah's, with small spots of white. The darker primary feathers were still coming in, but he knew they would look wonderful when his plumage was complete.

He unfurled his wings, almost hitting the wall of their den (it seemed so small now that he'd grown). "Wow!" he cried in utter astonishment. "Aren't these amazing, _Larimar_?" he asked her, carefully pronouncing her entire name this time. "We look like new griffins!"

"I miss the color." Larimar winced as she fluttered her own wings. "The old ones were so bright and...pretty before."

Shiny noticed her left one was still a little crooked. It was a bit worrisome; the wound was so old there was no hope of fixing it now. He didn't mention it, though. It would just give her something else to complain about.

Larimar's new feathers were a solid cream color with a lighter belly and darker wingtips. Shiny thought they looked much prettier than his. Larimar did, too, but she wasn't going to admit it. Shiny had embraced this change. Larimar loathed it.

 _Why couldn't things have stayed the same?_ the pale cub wanted to wail. _We were doing so well._ She felt kind of bad for being such a jerk lately. Now how would she ever earn Skah's respect?


	52. - - Part IV, Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

"Well..." Shiny folded his wings and sat down. "Maybe today we should-"

Loud shrieking cut him off. He and Larimar both shot to their feet, backing away from the entrance in shock. It sounded like a griffin. A terrified griffin. _What's going on?!_ He started to curl up in fear.

Larimar rushed out of the den toward the screaming. "Larry! Wait!" he shouted and bolted after her.

The older chick approached Frosti. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice raised but shaking with fear. "W-who's coming after us?!" She spread her wings in front of Shiny instinctively, standing between him and the strange griffin. He fidgeted nervously behind her.

* * *

"JUST RUN! I CAME HERE TO WARN YOU!" shrieked Frosti. "CAN'TYOUHEARTHEMTHEYWILLEATYOUALIVEIFYOUDON'TFIND APLACETOHIDE!"

By now, the bats were so close that Lamiar could hear their wings thumping and their many voices shrieking. "KILL!" cried the bats. "RIP! TEAR! TAKEEEE!"

"Lamiar, mabye we should listen to the stranger..." whispered Shiny nervously. Without thinking, Frosti grabbed them both by the talon and dragged them into the den, just as a monsterous head snapped at the fleeing figures. "THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" screamed the lead bat in fury. "GET THEM YOU NINDLE BRAINED ! PULL THEM OUT OF THE HOLE BY THE SCRUFF OF THEIR NECKS AND RIP OUT THEIR GUTS!"

Meanwhile, Shiny, Lamiar and Frosti had reached the deepest crack of the den."Dig!" whispered Frosti in the semi-darkness, as a soft tendril of mist snaked out from behind her shoulder. "Dig for your life!"

"Who are you?" demanded Lamiar as she began to scoop out clawfuls of dirt. A bat poked it's head into the narrow entrance and she hurled a dirt bomb at it. "Nezerra FrostFire." ansered the white stranger. "But you can just call me Frosti." More mist began to appear, and began to disintegrate and loosen the soil in front of them. The chicks had never seen anything like it before, and were immideately suspicious. "What is this stuff?" asked Shiny, loosening another clump of soil. "Magic is a useful tool in many ways. It can light a fire for warmth, or it can freeze a fire for safety. Magical powers are exactly why the bats wan't to capture us, especially me. My family was taken from me because they were so powerful." replied Frosti. "Are there any others with you? I can frighten away the bats only for a while with my magic. Magic cannot be concentrated in fear, and mist illusions are hard to hold."

Lamiar froze. Where are _Flock, Skah and Ghost?_

* * *

"Hey!" Larimar yelped, looking back over her shoulder at whatever was attacking them from outside. She'd never seen such a creature in her life. Shiny grabbed her wing with his beak, steering her back toward Frosti. "Just dig!" he yelled through her pale feathers.

"She's the magic one!" the female cub hissed indignantly, scrambling backwards. "Get away from her!"

Shiny turned to FrostFire. "Two older chicks, Ghost and Skah," he said as he continued digging. "And one Larimar's age, Flocke. I think they went out to hunt." He paused to gasp for air. "We have to find them!"

* * *

"Mist, help them dig. I will go and find them"

Frosti conjured up a ball of fire dashed out of the den. The mutant bats shrieked as the flames seared their wings. They began to scrape off the fire with their talons, which only made it worse. Seizing her chance, Frosti sent the fireball soaring around the colony in a circle, then covered the entrance to the den with a swathe of mist. She dashed out of reach, then ran towards the trees. The bats screeched, and began to fly after her, a black, swirling tornado slicing through the trees.

 _Show me the chicks..._ she whispered to her magic.

* * *

Frosti pounded through the forest, her breath came in great gasps. It took a monumental effort for her not to be afraid. _If I fail my magic, the chicks will be taken by the bats..._ A blurry image appeared before her eyes, but however hard she tried, she could not make clear what was heppening. With a snarl of fustrasion, she shoved aside her failed attempt to scry the chicks and kept on running. She hurled her fireball at the bats one last time and let it disintegrate so that she could concentrate on keeping the two chicks in the den safe. Then she ducked under a log and let the bats fly past. Now they would be thrown off track and she could search in temporary peace.

* * *

[ _Meanwhile..._ ]

Flocke had taken Ghost's invitation, and was now sneaking up on the older male from the opposite side of Ghost. He paid close attention to the female cub's actions, watching for the subtle movements that would tell him what she wanted him to do next, and responded by flipping his tail in understanding. He was only a few feet away from the supposedly unsuspecting male, when he decided he was close enough to run and pounce. He crouched down, continuing to inch closer just to keep up with Skah, and twitched his ears in a question.

' _Now?_ ' he then waited for Ghost's affirmative.

* * *

Skah continued in his reverie moving along the creek bank, and to his later shame, completely unaware he was being stalked.

Ghost stalked along quietly on her belly, she wanted Skah to realise exactly how much his senses had dulled. She edged around so that Flocke could take Skah from behind while she came in angled at his side.

Satisfied with her position she turned to Flocke and returned his ear twitches, conveying that she was ready. She flicked her tail indicating that he should make first contact.

Skah paused for a moment and glanced to the sky. He could see several shapes in the distance. He couldn't identify exactly what they were. For that reason alone he surmised that it would be wise not to stray that way.

* * *

Seeing Ghost's signal, Flocke bends down, ready to jump. His senses hone in on Skah, and Skah alone. His muscles tense, as he judges the distance one final time. Finally, he concentrates all his energy into his hind legs as he jumps forward silently. He unfurls his wings in a quiet "whoosh" to increase the distance of his jump, and stretches his front claws out to grasp his "prey".

With a childish war cry of victory, Flocke lands on top of the older male, ruining his balance ever so slightly. Knowing that Ghost should be close behind, Flocke readies for impact, lightly holding onto the older male's feathers and fur. One could easily see the grin of absolute joy spreading on Flocke's beak.

* * *

As Flocke launched himself into the air, Ghost timed her run. Throwing herself forward with terrific momentum she smashed into the off balance Skah causing the three of them to roll in a tangled mess towards the river. Somehow she was able to disentangle herself from the others before rolling away onto all fours. Her ears pinned back and her beak opened in a deadly hiss.

Skah suspected nothing untill Flocke landed on his back. The extra weight caused him to stagger slightly, before he was struck by what felt like a missile. A familiar smell surrounded the objects that had hit him.

He lashed out blindly with his talons while he tumbled. Next thing he knew he was deposited into river, cold water all around him. He rose quickly water streaming off of his feathers. An angry hiss escapdd his beak, the water below him was stained red. Blood dripped from a small gash along his face.


	53. - - Part IV, Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

Flocke had been laughing playfully when Ghost threw them all into a tumble. He clung on tightly to Skah's back as his vision blurred and he became dizzy. When Skah began thrashing out, Flocke managed to avoid most of the hits, but was grazed slightly in a few areas, causing him to slightly tense in pain upon impact. All the while, he continued to laugh.

When they hit the water, he was stunned by the cold river. He released his hold on the older male and made his way a few feet away. He shook the excess water from his body before sitting on the river stones, below the surface. Flocke was still giggling slightly while the adrenaline in his body slowly took its leave.

After doing a quick grooming, and checking to make sure his mother's feather was still in place, he looked to Skah and Ghost.

"That was fun!" he exclaimed, but upon seeing Skah's upset look, Flocke shrunk slightly. Seeing Skah's injury didn't help the feeling of guilt that was surfacing. "Er... Sorry... We were just having some fun. We didn't mean for you to get hurt." he tried to explain, but he feared that he might have made a mistake, by following Ghost's lead. Now he was in trouble; of that, he was certain...

* * *

Skah's eyes locked onto Ghosts. She held his gave for a few moments before looking over to Flocke. Skah's gaze traveled down Ghost's body until they rested on her talons. There was bright red blood across one. Skah stared at it, bewildered.

Ghost looked at Flocke while he shook himself off and then spluttered something about it being fun. It was clear to her that he was uncomfortable with the situation now. Turning back to Skah she purred in the most innocent way she could manage, "It was just for _fun_ Skah".

Skah's senses may have dulled over the winter but his sharp mind hadn't. He knew exactly what the fun had been about. And he was angry. Angry that he had to have it shown to him; by those he had taught.

Finally Skah broke from his stance, relaxing his shoulders and shaking the remaining water from his body. He turned to Flocke, his anger well masked, "Thankyou Flocke for showing me how to have fun again". Again there was extra emphasis put on the fun. He flicked some water in Flocke's direction, backing his words.

Flocke and Ghost may not have realised the importance of their actions. For Skah it was incredibly important; Skah had regained his spirit.

* * *

Shiny pressed himself into the small hole. He could here the rustling sound of featherless wings above them. Bats! Who would have suspected such small, innocent looking creatures could be so terrifying with a little bit of magic. What had that white cub called herself...? FrostFire? She looked bigger than Shiny and was probably more experienced, but the circumstances they met under made him very suspicious of her and her instructions.

 _Just stay calm_ , he told himself. _We can wait it out here. They'll leave eventually._ He felt restless and confused and scared. A different sort of scared, he realized. His mind wasn't racing and his blood wasn't rushing through him like it would if he were being attacked. Instead, a sick feeling of dread ate away at his stomach. He was almost intruiged by the mystery of these creatures, but common sense kept him from going out to get a look at them. He was trapped in the middle of his curiosity and his basic instinct of flight.

What were these bats? How powerful were they, anyway? For the first time in his life, the unknown _horrified_ him.

Larimar slowly rose from the dirt. She pushed a few leaves out of her way so she could peer out at the bats. Her body tensed as if preparing to run.

"Larimar!" Shiny hissed, tugging her back by her wing. "Don't you dare..."

"What? That magical-fireball-throwing freak was what brought them here. It's not like they'd want me; I can't do magic!" she reasoned.

"FrostFire's not a freak! Stop being so mean!"

The pale chick wrenched her wing out of his beak. "We don't know anything about her." Larimar let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, I'm sorry. It wasn't nice to call her a freak, but we can't trust her! Come on, if we're fast enough, we can hide over there." She pointed to a decaying log surrounded by larger bushes. They were in the denser part of the forest, with plenty of ground cover, so it would be easier for them to hide from creatures that were searching from the sky.

Shiny tried to protest. _What if we don't make it?_ He shifted his weight from foot to foot in discomfort. There was no guarantee Frosti would be coming back for them. They had no choice. "Fine."

Larimar dashed out in front of him, and Shiny ran faster than he ever had before.

* * *

Flocke smiled lightly when Skah calmed down and thanked him, and then laughed quietly when the few water droplets Skah flicked towards him whacked his eye and beak. He still felt bad about Skah getting hurt, but having a little fun was never wrong.

Smiling brightly, Flocke heard his stomach grumble. He was about to suggest they continue looking for food when he saw, what looked like, a black cloud in the distance. But it was a very strange cloud- swirling around and breaking apart as if it were many different things acting as a whole. They were too far away for him to get any specific details.

"Hey," he started, looking to his older companions. "What's that- or those? What is it?" He pointed to cloud, intrigued, and a slight feeling of discomfort spread itself through his body at the thought of going towards it to find out. what it was.

* * *

Skahs thoughts had also turned to food when Flocke pointed out the cloud that he had noticed before. Still he was unable to identify what it was, and that scared him. "I dont know" came his short reply "and i dont want to find out". With that he began to walk in the opposite direction down the river bank.

Ghost on the other hand was much more inquisitive. Sbe cocked her head studying the far off cloud as it swirled and rose and fell. "Lets get closer" she sugested. "I want to take a closer look". She turned to Flocke her eyes bright with curiosity.

* * *

As curious as Flocke was about the black cloud, he decided there were too many things going against it. For one thing, Skah would get upset. For two, it just seemed like a horrible idea. A wonderfully, horribly, awful idea. It would be best to avoid it, definitely.

"Yes. I do." he said to Ghost, with the same burning interest in his own gaze. His well being was obviously not on his mind at the moment. However, because of the innocent and naïve loyalty he had, he turned back to Skah.

"Skah! We're going to the black cloud! We'll meet up with you later!" And with that, Flocke began walking off, as if there was nothing wrong with what he just said. He didn't even look to see if Ghost was following. He just kept his bright gaze on the dark cloud in the distance.

* * *

Larimar's paws flew across the damp, uneven ground. She never looked back to see if the bats were chasing them or even if Shiny was still following her. Her heart pounded faster and faster until she felt like it would burst. Just a few more feet, and she would be safe. A few more feet...

"AAAH!" She heard Shiny shriek behind her. Distracted, she stumbled. Her forelegs slipped out from under her. The horrible screeching of a bat filled her ears. Kicking and snapping blindly, she fought back against her assailant as it fell upon her. It pulled back uncertainly, her strong wings battering its face with desperate strength. _Of course! It must not be able to fight so well on the ground. If I can tear its wing...  
_  
She sank her beak into the delicate skin of its wing. It was thicker than she thought it would be, but her bite now packed a force like a small eagle's. Bitter-tasting blood trickled out of the wound. It rose back into the air with an ugly cry. Larimar tried to run before it swooped back down for a second attack. The slightly wet ground kept slipping beneath her, preventing her from getting back up.

Claws dug into her back. She screamed, trying to kick them off. "Come on!" Shiny yelped, releasing her. She struggled after him. They dove under a large, prickly bush, a less than perfect but usable shelter from the bats.

Thorns cut through her fur and skin. "We're safe," Larimar gasped. Her legs buckled beneath her. A mixture of her blood and the bat's ran down her face. Shiny looked alarmed. "We're safe now," she muttered again.

Then shock, pain, and confusion overwhelmed her and she fainted.

* * *

"C'mon Skah", Ghost pleaded with him. Skah had stopped in his tracks, his body stiff and charged wih energy. He didnt want to go any where near the black cloud, he didnt know what it was and that was good enough reason to leave it well alone. But he didnt want to abandon hjs flock, especially Ghost. And Ghost was fully aware of this. She knew that if she turned her back on Flocke, Skah would have no qualms at all. But she wanted to know what the cloud was, somehow it seemed important.

Suddenly Skah was striding past her. "Dont expect me to not say I told you so", he said curtly.

Ghost turned and bounded after Flocke, while Skah followed in a more subdued manner. Despite his misgivings, Skah was curious about what the cloud was.

* * *

Suddenly, a white head burst out of the bushes. Frosti laid stunned on the forest floor for a second, before she became aware that she was being watched by three pairs of eyes. She looked up, and with a jolt realised that the chicks matched Shiny and Larmiar's descriptions! _I'd better not cause them to panic..._ she thought. She took a deep breath. "Excuse me, have you seen a black cloud of bats anywhere here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice as calm and as friendly as possible...

"They don't usually come out at day...do they?"


	54. - - Part IV, Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

Three cubs ran from from bats, scampering away quickly. The large, flying creatures would swoop down and attack them viciously. Occasionally the cubs would fearfully glance around, making sure they were all together and had not lost each other. One cub, the largest one and the only male in the group, would at times turn around to attack the bats when the swooped down low enough, hoping his attempts would drive them off. His efforts were in vain, however. There were just too many bats for any one, or three, cubs to do anything about it.

Neo winced in pain as the bat he had just tried attacking took a small bite out his leg, instead. It was better than if his sister and Dracellis got hurt, he consoled himself. He turned around, and ran trying to catch up to his sister. But even as he tried to run his leg pained him. His run faded into a fast limping. Inevitably, he slowed down. When they noticed his slowing, they slowed until they were running by his side.

Aquarius opened her beak to ask why her brother had slowed, but she closed it with wide eyes as the reason dawned on her. There was a bleeding spot on his front leg, and it wasn't stopping. She had gotten injures that bled before, and they always stung and hurt. She glanced around, hoping to see something to that they could rest under. Resting had always made her injuries feel better. Resting, food, and water. She didn't want her big brother to hurt. There wasn't any food and water around though, so just resting would have to do. Suddenly Aquarius's eyes caught on a prickly looking bush. "Neo! Dracellis! I see shelter over there! C'mon!"

Dracellis had been frozen for half a second as she saw the blood on her brother. No! Her mind yelled, not again! She wouldn't lose another brother! She was knocked out of her frozen state by a swooping down of a bat trying to attack her. She flinched away from the bat, and the bat flew away, missing its target. Dracellis cleared her mind, trying to shake away the panic that came over. It was just a little injury, she had gotten worse. Her big brother wouldn't die from an injury like this, Dracellis assured herself. And...and... she had never lost a brother before, she stated determinedly in her mind even as the rest of her mind mourned Durante. When she heard Aquarius' call she glanced around and noticed the bush Aquarius mentioned.

All three cubs dived under the bush, and all were shocked at the presence of two cubs. One unconscious, and one alert. Aquarius recovered first from her shock, and chirped out a greeting, "Hiya! My name is Aquarius! What is yours? Why are you under a bush? Can we be friends?" Suddenly she paused and properly took in the scene before her. "Is your friend alright?" She quietly asked the conscious cub.

Neo was the next to recover from his shock. Though he was a bit wary of those two cubs, they didn't look like they would harm his sister or Dracellis. "Hello, are you guys alright? I'm Neo, and as my sister mentioned she is Aquarius. Over there is Dracellis, our friend." He gestured slightly with his head as he mentioned Dracellis. He glanced at the unconscious cub in concern, maybe they had been by attacked by bats too.

Dracellis recovered last, and had to prevent herself from rushing out from the bush back open where the bats were. Her brother was injured and they wouldn't be able to get very far, and he could get hurt more. Anyway, Neo seemed to trust these griffins, so they weren't dangerous, at least. But maybe that unconscious cub was attacked by the conscious one, though maybe not considering it looked quite alarmed. She was saddened but her brother's refusal to acknowledge her as his sister too, like Aquarius. Dracellis hesitantly spoke and almost quietly mumbled when introduced, "..hi?"

* * *

Shiny scrambled backwards when three unfamiliar chicks seemed to just appear in front of him. For a moment, his panicked mind almost mistook them for Skah, Ghost, and Flocke. His senses soon returned and he saw them as potentially dangerous strangers. He stepped back to Larimar's side, trying to protect the one who had done the same for him.

The slightly darker female one started talking. In his shock, he wasn't able to process most of what she said, but he did catch her name. Aquarius's companion, Neo, introduced himself and Dracellis. They seemed friendly enough, and Shiny had been through so many awful things today that he was desperate for someone trustworthy and nice to cling to.

"Uh...hi," he croaked in response to Dracellis's short greeting. "I'm Shiny." _Wow, that sounded stupid._ It dawned on him that he wasn't shiny anymore. He hadn't been since he was an egg. Silently cursing Larimar for giving him such a weird name, he added, "That's...that's my name. She's Larimar."

He carefully shook Larimar with his forefoot. She started to wake, immediately snapping to her defensive state. "What's going on?" She squinted up at the three new cubs. "Wait, what..."

"Dracellis, Neo, Aquarius," he quickly informed her, trying to save them the trouble of going through another introduction.

She sat up and glared at them, uncertain whether or not she was willing to trust more strangers. So far today, the results of doing so had been disastrous. Her aching wings hung limply at her sides, hiding the long, bloody gashes the bat had given her. She glanced back at Shiny and was relieved to see he had only a few scratches. However, they were in no position to fight with these newcomers (and Shiny seemed determined to make new friends) so she swallowed her suspicion and managed a sharp "Hello. Where are you from?"

* * *

Flocke trotted at a leisurely pace, not in any hurry to get to the black cloud, but still quick enough to get there quickly. He looked back every once in a while to see if the others were keeping up. Even with his growth spurt, Flocke could still move quicker than the others, though he always tried to stay behind them instead of in front. Right now, however, he had a feeling that they needed to hurry. He had no idea why, though. The feeling was fighting with his urge to stay away.

Thankfully, he managed to arrive near the black cloud before he could change his mind. Upon going closer, he was startled to realize that the black cloud was, in fact, a bunch of bats.

' _I've never seen them do this..._ ' Flocke thought to himself. Bats were normally docile, and stayed away from them. He had watched them every now and then when the group happened to be near them. They normally chased bugs or ate from plants. Only once had he seen a bat "attack" another animal, and it hadn't been something that worried him. Just a little scratch on a deer's back, and it licked the blood that seeped up. The deer barely even noticed!

Cringing at the memory, Flocke began to wonder what was so interesting to make the bats swarm like this. He wanted to get a closer look. He began walking through a bush to do just that, vaguely noticing the other two still with him, when he saw another cub. A female.

When she saw them her questions, he answered.

"They're right there." he pointed to the distant bats behind her. "Bats are normally nocturnal. Do you know what they're doing?" he asked.

* * *

Tulip saw the dark cloud before her brother. Her curiosity peaked the moment her eyes reached it.

"Gladi, what's that?" she asked him innocently. Gladiolus, who was sitting on top of his still very alive meal, glanced up at the swirling creatures. He sneered, but quickly came up with the only explanation for what it could be.

"Bats." he said, and went back to playing with his victim. A baby fawn who had the bad luck of losing its mother and later getting found by Gladiolus. The cruel cub had already torn one of its ears off, and continuously smothered it beneath his bulk.

Tulip watched the, what she now knew were, bats and thought. What were they doing?

"Have you ever seen them do that before?" she asked her brother.

"Do you ever shut up? They're just bats. Who cares what they're doing. They barely suffice as a snack, let alone something worthy of checking out." he replied back, annoyed.

"Yeah, but they might be attacking something." she responded, unperturbed. She had grown up with Gladiolus' attitude- it no longer worried her much.

"So?" he replied as he began nipping at the fawns other ear, hinting at what was about to come.

Tulip gave up. He wouldn't go for any reason, unless it benefited him. She quietly pondered whether or not she should go alone, to see what was up. Just as she was about to make up her mind, she heard the terrible cry of the fawn. It was loud and obviously in pain. It shook Tulip.

She had been living through this for so long. All of the tortured animals. She knew it was wrong, yet she just let it happen.

The fawn bleated loudly again, as if crying... begging. It just wanted to die. Tulip knew she would. Rather than be tortured, knowing your fate wouldn't change either way- she'd rather die immediately.

A final cry, and Tulip had, had enough. She turned around and took a deep breath, ready to demand Gladiolus let it go.

But then she saw his cruel, patient eyes. He was watching her- probably had been the entire time. His gaze was piercing, and held no emotion other than cruelty.

"What?" he said quietly. Although he might as well have just shouted it, because Tulip's ears were ringing. He was tempting her. Tempting her to challenge him- his law; his rule. Tempting her to give him a reason to kill her.

Tulip shook with quiet terror, as she watched him- their gazes locked. The fight was over before it even began.

She heard the fawn cry out again as Gladiolus dug his claws into its hide. All she could do, was turn away in shame and terror.

"It's nothing, Gladi..." she said quietly. She'd never go against him. She couldn't.

"Good," he said, right before he latched his beak onto the fawns wind pipe. He thrashed it around, and waited for it to finally give. Tulip watched sadly as its terrified eyes, which watched her, slowly closed. When it was dead, Gladiolus dropped it. "And stop calling me Gladi." he demanded, before walking away; leaving the uneaten, mangled fawn on the ground.

Tulip watched it, wishing for... something. She didn't really know what. Not yet, at least.

"You aren't going to eat it." it wasn't a question, for she knew the answer. Gladiolus peaked over his shoulder from where he was walking away, before he turned back and continued.

"The bats can have it." he said, without turning back.

Tulip sighed, disheartened. Such a waist to torture it, kill it, then leave it. It died for nothing... She hoped she didn't suffer the same fate, although she was on the same track.

' _I need to break free..._ ' she thought to herself. ' _Yes, break free- and find a new family. I don't want to live like this forever..._ ' Looking up, she watched as Gladiolus walked into the brush, leaving her alone. Suddenly, she was afraid. More afraid than when she was in her brother's presence. The trees loomed over her, and the shadows grew darker, and the wind was colder. She felt terrifyingly alone.

Not wishing to be left behind, Tulip quickly took after her brother. Someday she'd be left behind, but today, she still had the need to follow. Even though she knew she'd live in fear and regret until then.

* * *

Ghost and Skah followed along behind Flocke, but neither were walking blind. Skah instincts had returned and he could feel the forest around him again. So just before Frosti materialised infront on them he could sense something was different about the forest. He was instantly wary of the newcomer, she felt wrong in some way to him.

Ignoring her questions and Flockes answers he demanded, "who are you? ". His voice was menacing and authoritive.

Ghost had similar apprehensions when it came to the new cub. She slid in beside Skah. Upon hearing that the black cloud was comprised of bats, she dismissed it as not a threat to either her or Skah, and Flocke if he remained with them.


	55. - - Part IV, Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

Dracellis gave an uncertain look to Larimar. Shiny seemed alright. His name was a bit different, but that was fine. Larimar, however, seemed sort of snappy. She backed away a bit, ready to escape at a moments notice. She decided not to answer the question of where they were from, Aquarius or Neo would probably answer it. Anyway, big brother would be upset if she mentioned that her mother died in her past near Aquarius. Neo tries to shelter Aquarius, which is odd since big brother had told her that shielding someone from the truth was a bad thing when she was a chick.

Neo gave a hesitant and slightly wary smile to Larimar. She seemed unhappy about them being here but she was injured and had just woken up so it was probably just that. Still he kept a bit on guard just in case. "We're from a forest awhile away, we live there. We ended up here due to some bats attacking us." Neo explained.

Aquarius eyes sparkled cheerfully at the greetings. Shiny seemed nice, and his name was really cool! Larimar seemed a bit upset, but Dracellis always seemed upset too when she got woken up from a nap. So it wasn't anything against them, probably. Her eyes caught on the couple of scratches she could see on Shiny. The cheerful light in her eyes left and a more concerned look entered and she recalled the bats outside. "Are you guys alright? Did the bats attack you guys, too?"

* * *

Shiny nodded. "We met this other griffin who said the bats were chasing her, but when she left they started trying to get us, too." He paused. _Where did Frosti go, anyway?_ He hoped he could find her. There was so much he needed explained. "Anyway, we're fine. Right, Larry?" He asked his friend for confirmation without even glancing at her.

Larimar tried not to make eye contact with anyone. She carefully preened her shoulder as Shiny conversed with the others, removing some of the dirt and blood. She shot Shiny an angry look when he called her 'Larry' again, but her friend was too engrossed by his conversation with Neo and Aquarius to notice it.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I'll be fine." She adjusted her wings to hide her wounds. They weren't that deep, so she figured it was nothing serious. There was no sense in having Shiny freak out over nothing.

"We're part of a flock!" Shiny proudly stated. "Well, a flock of cubs...but that's just as good as a grown-up one, right? We lost our other friends: Skah, Ghost, and Flocke. Have you seen any other chicks around here?"

* * *

Aquarius's cheerful sparkle entered her eyes again. "A flock of cubs is just good as a grown-up flock! In fact it sounds even cooler!" Aquarius chirped happily. Maybe she could become friends with more cubs? Oo! They might even all be able to travel together too! Then she considered the question and a slight frown entered her face, though she remained cheerful. "I didn't see any other cubs. Did you Neo?"

Neo shook his head no. "I didn't think I really saw much of anything for the most part. I was a bit too focused on fighting bats." Neo admitted. Neo frowned trying to recall anything he had seen again. He sighed when it failed. "Sorry, I just can't recall seeing any other cubs."

Aquarius looked down at the ground sadly. She wanted for her new friends to be able to find their other friends. She stared at the ground in though before looking up hopefully in Dracellis's direction. "Dracellis, did you see any other cubs?"

Dracellis startled a bit when Aquarius talked to her, and frowned slightly when she realized it had taken them a while to think of asking her. Still, she thought back to when they were running. Had she seen some other cubs? She didn't think so. It was too bad, a flock would've been nice. Maybe she could have some friends other than big brother and Aquarius. "I.. I don't think I saw anyone else. I am sorry." She spoke hesitantly and a bit quietly.

Aquarius's frown deepened. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "Well then we'll just have to help you guys find your friends!" She exclaimed determinedly. Her eyes lit up, thrilled at her idea.

Neo gave Aquarius an uncertain glance. They might be going straight into danger if they helped these cubs find their friends. Still... it would make Aquarius happy. "We'll gladly help." Neo informed Shiny and Larimar.

Dracellis's eyes became wide at Aquarius's exclamation. They... they were going back into danger?! There were bats out there and predators that wanted to eat them! She flinched at the thought of predators. And big brother was approving this? Big brother had always taught her to be cautious when she a chick! Maybe it was okay, then? Perhaps nothing was actually wrong and it was safe. Big brother said it was okay, after all. Still, her uncertainty remained. She decided not voice her indecision, though. Dracellis remained quiet and gave a nod yes with her head.

* * *

Lock and Flaw were making their way through the underbrush, side by side, in a cautious manner. They could see what looked like a dark cloud not to far away and, all in all, they were still curious cubs. But curious did not mean reckless, Lock had been sure to teach Flaw how to stalk and walk silently, and in times like this, it could mean life or death. The two walked in silence, words weren't needed, and it wasn't like either of them were very talkative in their own rights. Lock lifted his wing to raise a branch over his head, letting it swing slightly, whipping away over the top of Flaw's head, which was rather shorter compared to the other cub. A sharp cracking sounded in the rather silent air, and Lock shot an annoyed look at the small, now brown cub. "Watch your steps!" He chided, he wasn't angry with Flaw, he didn't think he could ever be angry at the runt, but the cub needed to keep his wits about him. Flaw hung his head and looked at the ground in embarrassment. "Ugh, don't look like that." Lock brushed his tail against Flaw's shoulder. "Just remember what I taught you and you'll be fine." Flaw looked up at him and nodded before they continued on their way towards the blackish cloud, unaware of what it truly was.

* * *

Frosti limped feverishly through the woods, her body felt like lead and already, she could see the monsters ploughing through the shrub behind her. "Shoo!" she gasped, and sent a weak ball of mist rolling towards them. Already, her strengh was failing, but she still had to find that burrow...

Suddenly, Frosti glimpsed a flash of green and black through the trees. The two griffin chicks! Frustration bubbled up inside her, mixed with sadness. Hadn't she told them to stay in the burrow?! Now they had joined with three others, and looked like they were about to be killed. Behind her there was a crash as the mutant bats broke through the heather. Frosti tried to run, but tripped over. Waves of exhaustedness rushed over her, and suddenly she found that she could no longer move. She fell over one last time.

"Hey! Look at me you mutant monsters! I'm getting away!" she called, and tried to run. Somewhere behind her, she heard the bats shriek and fly after her but instead of fear; she felt an overwhelming sense of calm. If she was going to die, at least the other chicks could escape. She curled into a ball and shut her eyes. _So this is how it all ends..._

* * *

 **Meanwhile:**

Flasher was flying through the trees, after that menacing black cloud. All around her, bats were being drawn into the miniature tornado she had created, and then being smashed against the trees. She had been tracking the evil creatures for almost a week now, and she somehow knew that if she didn't get rid of the monsters, something very very bad would happen. She still did not know what she was doing, or what was happening at the centre, but she was soon to find out...

Suddenly she heard something. A voice! Not any old voice, but a chick's voice! It seemed to be calling for help, so Flasher swooped.

What she saw made her blood boil with rage.

Flasher had never taken much pleasure in killing things, even for food. She hated the way she would be forced to stalk her prey and leap up onto it when it was least ready. She hated the way she would have to be the one to strike the death blow, and feel the creature's last breath crack under her talons. Every time she did this, her heart wrenched and she would have to rest for at least an hour to get over it. Most of all, she hated the pain she was forced to inflict on her victims. And so when she saw the bats doing exactly what she loathed, she forgot all about her usual, calm self and switched full on to battle mode.

"YYYEEEEEAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHH! !" yelled Flasher, swinging down from the trees. As soon as the bats saw her, they scattered like pigeons from a cat. Frosti didn't see the great thunderbolts burst from the griffin's talons, she didn't see the bats vaporizing into fine ash, and she didn't even see the bats fleeing over the mountains and that foreboding black cloud lifting off into the air and soaring away. But she saw Flasher. She saw Flasher descending from the treetops like a guardian angel from above. That was all that happened before Frosti blacked out.

Gasping, Flasher carefully lifted up the the unconsious body of the white chick, and looked around to see of there were still any bats left. They had all fled, knowing that she was a lot more powerful than she seemed. Unaware that she was being watched by sets of curious eyes, Flasher unrolled her woolen blanket and laid the white chick on it. She was amazed that there were still griffins in the forest, ones that could be so tough and durable. Most of all, she had found company.

"Rest now, young one." Flasher whispered. "I will protect you."

* * *

Skah stopped in his tracks suddenly. His head was cocked on its side, hearing attuned into a vaguely familiar sound. Ghost who had been walking infront of Skah had also stopped, she had picked up the same sound as Skah. Almost incredulously Skah muttered, "Flocke, can you hear that?"

"It sounds like other cubs", Ghost chimed in, excitement in her voice. Ghost melted into the shadows as was her way.

"I'm going to have a look", came her voice as she faded away.

Skah stayed in the open and headed towards the sound of familiar voices. But there were foreign voices there as well. He glanced back at Flocke, "You coming?"

Meanwhile Ghost had made quick progress through the undergrowth and soon she had come across the source of their curiosity. She could just make out inside the prickly bush five cubs, two of which were familiar. A gladness of sorts lifted Ghost's heart for she quickly recognised Larimar and Shiny even though they hadn't seen them for a long time. Ghost was about to call out to them, when she realised that she didn't know why they were in the bush. It was then that she noticed a small group of the bats bobbing around above the bush in the tree tops. Her sharp mind made the connection. " _I need to find Skah and Flocke_ " she thought before turning around and stealthily making her way back the way she had come.


	56. - - Part IV, Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

Flocke tried listening for what Skah had mentioned. He had to strain, but he could vaguely hear the sound of voices. However, they merged together so he couldn't pick out what they sounded like, or who they could be.

After Ghost disappeared and Skah asked whether or not Flocke was coming, the younger cub answered with a bouncy, "Yep!" before following Skah towards the voices. He wondered what Ghost would find out.

As they grew closer, the voices became easier to hear. He found that he was able to recognize two voices. Quickly, he turned to Skah while they continued forward.

"Is that Larry and Shiny?" he asked quietly. Even though he knew Larimar was no longer happy about her old nickname, he couldn't find it in himself to stop using it.

* * *

Flockes question confirmed what Skah had been thinking and he was about to answer when Ghost reappeared. "Its them", she said matter of factly, "but they aren't alone".

"What do you mean", Skah questioned, there was a strange edge to Ghosts voice amd Skah wasnt sure what it meant.

"There's other cubs with them. And the bats are attacking them". Ghost stated emotionlessly. "Three cubs", she added almost as an after thought. she knew Skah would want to know the details.

Five cubs already facing off against the bats made Skah slightly nervous. Either the cubs weren't very good at defending themselves or the bats wwere more formidable than he had first thought. For once Skah didnt have the answers. He didnt know whether they should sneak away or outright confront the bats. He figured that eight cubs would be a significant deterrent against the bats. But he just didn't know...

* * *

"Oh," Shiny said, a bit disappointed. What if they were miles away from their friends now? What if they never found them?! Despite it being Larimar who answered Frosti's distress call, he couldn't help blaming himself for letting this all happen.

He perked up a bit when Neo and Aquarius suggested a search. "Really?" His wings fluttered excitedly. He felt ready to burst out of the bush and start looking at that very moment. "Thank you!"

Larimar's tail flipped about thoughtfully. "I think we should wait for the bats to leave first," she suggested, holding back a sarcastic remark on Shiny's childishness. He was a child, but in a dangerous time such as this, no one could afford to be acting like one. "Uh, thanks for the offer, though." Truthfully, meeting new chicks always made her feel awkward. She didn't want any more problems in her already miserable, ever-changing life. She thought back to when Shiny was still imprinted on her. _Ugh! I am NEVER dealing with that EVER again._

Calm down, Larimar. It's not like they'll be joining the flock. You should be more friendly.

A soft sound snapped her out of her thoughts. She paused, cocking her head to listen closely.

"Larimar? Are you okay?" Shiny asked.

"Yeah...I just thought I heard...something." She shook her head and settled back down. "Stupid bats."

* * *

When Ghost arrived and confirmed that Larimar and Shiny were indeed the voices they were hearing, he wasted no time. His friends were being attacked. To him, there was no other option. He took only a moment to see Ghost and Skah's hesitation.

"What are you waiting for? Larry and Shiny need help!" he said urgently as he began darting in the direction of the bushes.

He didn't look back to see if the other two were following- his mind was focused on finding his other friends. When he finally saw the bats attacking the bush, he stopped to take a breath. There were a lot of them, but they hadn't seen him yet. He took a moment to gather his thoughts when he heard one of the cubs from inside the bush speak.

"Stupid bats." someone said. ' _Larimar!_ ' Without another thought, Flocke ran into the bush. By the time the bats saw him, he was already safe. He took a moment to catch his breath before looking up.

Larimar and Shiny were sitting there, with three other cubs he didn't know. Seeing as all the cubs he'd met so far had all been nice, and had become his friends, Flocke wasted no time in trying to do the same for these three.

"Hi! I'm Flocke- Larimar and Shiny's friend!" he turned to said friends. "You guys okay? We saw the bats and found you here. Why are they attacking you?" you finished quickly, still panting from his quick sprint.

* * *

For a few seconds, Larimar stood with her beak hanging open.

"FLOCKE!" she shouted in the purest delight. She sprang up, every trace of annoyance and cynicism gone from her face. She stumbled up to him and embraced him, ignoring the piercing pain in her side as her half-dried wounds were reopened. "You-how-you found us!" The corners of her beak spread in a wide grin. Her best friend was safe, and he'd found them!

Still hugging him with her wing, she said, "Where are Ghost and Skah?" She turned back toward the others. "Those are some other cubs we met. They're friendly." She immediately jumped back to what was (in her opinion) the much more important matter. "You're okay, right? Skah and Ghost aren't hurt?"

"We met another griffin who had these weird magic powers," Shiny explained. "Those bats were chasing her, and when she left, they tried to get us, too. We both hid here. That's how we met Neo, Dracellis, and Aquarius."

Larimar settled down beside Flocke, wincing as another thin trickle of blood started. "The bats...they're still out there, aren't they?"

* * *

Dracellis eyes widened as another cub ran straight at them and entered the bush. She jumped up a bit, and her wing got caught of some brambles. Dracellis winced when she tried to get her wing unstuck and ended up losing some feathers. She warily moved away from the cub, moving closer to Neo's side. The cub, Flocke was what he said his name was, seemed to be a friend of Shiny and Larimar and had said so himself. Also, Dracellis remembered Shiny mentioning a Flocke as one of their friends. Dracellis still watched him warily, though. He seemed very... abrupt.

Neo's eyes narrowed and he tensed, ready for a fight, as a cub barreled into the bush with them. Was this someone who was going to attack them? He relaxed quite a bit when the cub revealed he was one of Larimar and Shiny's friends. He didn't seem too dangerous. He looked a bit small, really.

When the cub entered the bush Aquarius startled a bit. However, she also leaned forward curiously. Maybe this cub was a friend of Larimar and Shiny and had been looking for them? Aquarius was delighted to hear her guess confirmed. She wished she could introduce herself, but it would be rude to interrupt the three friends reunion. She didn't want to be seen as rude. Neo had called her rude before when she had kept asking Dracellis about her brother who had gotten lost. She didn't want to be scolded again. Instead of talking Aquarius remained uncharacteristically quiet.

Dracellis was kinda surprised at the cheerful response Larimar had to Flocke. Larimar had seemed a bit mean and snappy. She had thought Larimar was like that with everyone. Did Larimar just not like them? Dracellis felt a bit of pain at this idea. She stared down at the ground. Her sadness increased as Larimar easily dismissed them. After a brief moment she looked up again. So what if Larimar didn't like them. She would also have big brother and Aquarius. And Shiny seemed nice. He had introduced them to Flocke right now. Maybe the other cubs Ghost and Skah would be nice like Shiny was.

Neo grimaced minutely at the dismissal Larimar gave them. He gave a slight glare to Larimar. He didn't care what she thought of him, but he hoped Aquarius hadn't noticed the dismissal. Shiny seemed like he could be a good friend for Aquarius, though.

Aquarius gave chirped out a little hello when Shiny said their names. Maybe Larimar was just upset due tothose bats. She seemed pretty nice now. It was so cool that just meeting friends could cheer someone up. All of the cubs seemed really nice. She just couldn't wait until she met the other two, who she was pretty sure were called Skah and Ghost.

* * *

Skah let Flocke make a run for the others unhindered, but he certainly wasn't going running in their blindly. A small idea slowly blossomed inside his mind. It was dangerous, but it would probably work. Turning to Ghost who had remained silent for several minutes, he could see she had reached a similar conclusion. "I'll do it", he said bluntly before she could get a word out.

"No", Ghost replied. "I'm faster, I'll be able to avoid them for longer".

Skah relented for she spoke truthfully, and if their was one thing Skah always gave into, it was the truth. "I've got your back though", he said seriously.

She nodded, a small but sincere acknowledgement, before she disappeared into the forest for second time that day. Skah wasted no time and bolted towards the bush where their friends were currently hiding out. He crashed through the bush receiving another scratch on his shoulder.

He would have been a fearsome sight bursting in with dried blood on his face and fresh blood trickling down his shoulder. And then there was that look in his eyes. They burned bright with determination.

Catching his breath he grunted, "Hello, I'm Skah".


	57. - - Part IV, Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

"Skah!" Larimar exclaimed, still a little breathless from greeting Flocke. Her smile reappeared, a bit coy this time, and she strode up to him. She raised her wing as if about to hug him as she had done with Flocke, but decided halfway through the move that Skah wasn't really the hugging type.

She folded it up awkwardly and settled for sitting beside him. Her dark green eyes went over him again, noticing his battered state. "Did the bats attack you? It's not bad, right?" She stepped closer, inspecting the blood caked gash on his head.

At first, Shiny was taken aback by the older griffin's appearance. He fell back on his rump, startled by Matoskah's blood-soaked fur and unyielding stare. _It's just Skah_ , _you idiot_ , he thought, recognizing his friend. Embarrassed, he stood back up, brushed off his wings, and smiled at Skah. While Larimar made a fuss about Skah's head wound, he asked, "Where's Ghost?"

* * *

Skah was pleased to see that Larimar was excited to see him after so long, but he didn't let show at the time. There was still a job do be done. He shrugged off her comments about the blood, avoiding the adventures of the morning. He dipped his head at Shiny as he said, "She's going to make a distraction so we can get out of here. And then we're going to show those bats what we can do".

He turned to the foreign cubs still with steely determination in his eyes. He found the other males eyes, he figured he was their leader. "I'm sure we can count on your help", his eyes bore into Neo's willing him to accept his plan.

Ghost meanwhile was carefully moving through the undergrowth to a semi-open part of the forest. It had room for them to move on the ground, but more importantly, it had clear sky, so they could get at the bats. Happy with the position she slunk out of the shadows and into the open. Where she promptly sat down, spread her wings and gave a shrieking cry. She repeated the call again, and again. Then the bats turned. They were now headed straight for her. " _Come on guys_ ", she thought silently.

* * *

Neo started as another cub burst into their safe-haven under then bush. He tensed and let out a bit of a hissing noise. When this cub introduced himself as Skah, the name he recognized of being one of Larimer and Shiny's friends, he did not relax like he had when he had met Flocke. While Flocke looked mostly harmless, Skah certainly didn't look to harmless. Neo tried nudged his Aquarius closer to himself. He certainly didn't want Skah near Aquarius. Or Dracellis, but Dracellis was already pretty near to him. His instincts were practically shouting in his ears to keep this other male cub away from his little flock. This feeling was very unfamiliar to narrowed his eyes when Skah tried to get him to agree with his idea. This plan could endanger his flock! He let out a slightly louder hiss. He attempted to nudge Aquarius again to bring her even closer to himself, while keeping a wary eye on Skah while doing so.

Aquarius jumped a bit this time, and was a bit frightened by this new griffin cub. He didn't seem that bad, but he looked kinda scary to her. Especially with that blood on him. While uncertain about this new cub, neither liking or disliking him she accepted Neo's attempts to move her closer to him. While he couldn't be that bad, since he was Shiny and Larimar's friends. But, her brother agreed with her... so maybe he was bad. She opened her beak and then closed it, deciding not to introduce herself or offer to help when he requested. Aquarius felt kind of uncomfortable about not offering to help. She just felt kinda overwhelmed at the moment, she had never seen another griffin over than big brother, herself, and Aquarius. Sometimes she had wondered if other griffins were only stories. It was just so odd meeting others of her kind, and so many of them.

Dracellis took a step back as the new griffin cub entered the bush. While she was somewhat nervous and he had a bit of a fearsome look at the moment, he was probably another one of Shiny's flock. The only two the hadn't met yet were Ghost and Skah. He also seemed to be a bit injured. One injury on his shoulder look really fresh. When he introduced himself as Skah, Dracellis nodded back slightly in greeting. He didn't seem like Larimar, nice to his friends but snappish to them, at least not yet at least. He also didn't seem like Shiny, who was friendly to everyone. She was a bit surprised to see that big brother was glaring a bit at Skah. He hadn't acted like this to Flocke. Aquarius was huddled next to Neo, too. She had been half-expecting Aquarius to bound forward to greet this new cub and introduce everyone. And when he mentioned help she was really certain Aquarius would offer to help. But she wasn't. Big brother didn't seem likely to introduce themselves either.

So... that left her? Dracellis frowned uncertainly. There was no reason not to help them. Also, she certainly didn't want another dismissive introduction from Larimar. And this flock of cubs had been nothing but helpful really, and Shiny seemed nice. She didn't want her new ...friend?... getting hurt because they didn't help. She gave a nervous smile and tried to speak clearly. "Umm.. I'm Dracellis. They are Neo and Aquarius," She spoke nervously and gestured to each of them as she introduced them. She then paused, uncertain about how to say the rest she didn't want big brother getting mad at her for offering to help. "W-we will be glad to help." Though Dracellis tried not to stutter and all when she spoke this, she failed and felt a bit embarrassed. She tried to avoid looking at her big brother and Aquarius to see their reactions but she spared a quick glance over at them.

Aquarius had given a quick, shaky nod of acceptance at Dracellis's nervous proclamation.

Neo had narrowed his eyes, more than a bit unhappy, but gave in when he saw Aquarius's nod. He dipped his head at Skah, acknowledging that he would help.

* * *

Flocke had happily hugged Larimar back with enthusiasm. He had missed his two friends as much as they seemed to miss him. He was about to answer her questions when Skah came bounding in. It had made him jump a little, but he had been expecting at least one of the other two to follow, so it didn't surprise him. However, he was very aware of how Skah's appearance was making everyone feel. Now that he was paying attention, Skah really did look like a mess.

With the memory of how Skah got the scratch on his forehead, Flocke remembered his own little scratches. Looking down at himself, he saw his feathers were all ruffled. He was a mess, but not bloody, and no where near as intimidating as Skah was.

Hoping to ease the mood, Flocke cut in.

"Eesh, Skah! Look at us! We're a mess! We really should have cleaned up before deciding to meet new cubs. Honestly, what were we thinking." With that, he began grooming himself dramatically, as if to make a point. When he was done, he looked to the others. "Ghost and I pounced him earlier, so the majority of our appearance is due to that." he explained. He then leaned in close to Aquarius and Neo, whom he was closest to, and whispered, still loud enough for everyone to hear, "But everyone knows Skah is really just a big softy. He just hides it behind his scary appearance and big stature." He then looked at Skah with a big goofy, teasing, grin. "Isn't that right, Skah?" he said, hoping the older male would get that he was trying to lighten the mood.

* * *

"Great," Larimar said flatly at Dracellis's kind words. She tried to hide her discomfort toward the newcomers now that Skah was around. What would he think if she started acting like a jerk? Then again, she had been quite bitter to everyone during the worst of the winter months. She tried to shake her head clear of those thoughts. "Thanks," she added rather dryly, showing no thanks in her blank tone.

Shiny shot her a warning look. "Thanks, Dracellis! You guys are so nice," he told the three new griffins gratefully. It sounded a bit forced, but he was doing his best to be welcoming to them.

Larimar snickered when Flocke started playfully teasing. "Aww, he's just so cute and sweet," she said jokingly, draping a wing over Skah's back. She didn't really mind how filthy and scary he was, for she looked just as bad now! She was just happy to have her friends back. Shiny cracked an amused smile.

* * *

"Good", Skah said, "Now we wait." He turned his head towards the sky. Faintly, the bats could be seen swirling about above them. Flocke's dialogue angered Skah slightly, but he could see the purpose behind it. But he'd have something to say to Flocke later. He was encouraged by Larimar's attitude though, it wasn't that dissimilar to his own. To his surprise Larimar draped a wing over his back, even more surprisingly he didn't shake it off.

Just then Ghost's calls could be heard, piercing through the air. Once, twice and a third time. Skah swung his head skyward again, eyes eagerly watching for the bats reaction. They wheeled and took off in Ghost's direction.

"It's time", Skah ordered to the others before he turned and shouldered his way out of the bush. For even if the others didn't follow, he knew Ghost would need all the help she could get.

Ghost was a brave griffin, there was no doubt about that, but a swarm of bats were enough to make her scared. She folded her wings up, they would just get in the way, and they had served their purpose already. She gathered her legs beneath herself ready to move at the perfect moment.

* * *

Hearing the shrieking calls of Ghost, Flocke readied himself to dart out of the bush. When Skah gave the signal, and ran out, Flocke was right behind him. And this time, he stayed behind the older male.

' _No more action before thought._ ' he thought to himself. ' _Just follow Skah. Follow Skah..._ ' he repeated this to himself over and over. A small part of him told him that it didn't like following, and that he should be in front. But over the past few months, Flocke had learned to easily ignore it. He pushed the thought back down, deep within himself, and continued forward.

' _Follow Skah..._ ' he continued as they came upon a clearing.


	58. - - Part IV, Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

 _On the other side of the forest_

"SHOOOO!" shouted Flasher at the last bat. She slashed at it with her talons and it flapped away squealing to join the rest of the hurricane. Flasher rose up above the treetops to make sure that they were all gone, then she carefully dived down again and got out her flask of necter. Being careful not to spill it all, she rolled Frosti over and dripped some necter into the her beak.

"Huh...?" muttered the chick, slowly coming back to consciousness. "Mother...?" Suddenly her voice was invaded by a coughing fit, and Flasher gave her a firm pat on the back. "It's okay, young one. The bats have gone now. " The fully grown griffin whispered affectionately.

Frosti struggled to her feet. "Who are you?" she demanded. Flasher smiled gently. "I was about to ask you the same thing. My real name is Urusula, but you can call me Flasher. That was what all my friends used to call me. They don't call you names for nothing!"

Frosti stared at Flasher as she introduced herself. The last fully grown griffin she had seen was her beloved missing parents, who had been carried away by the bats and never been seen again. Frosti had learnt to accept the fact that she may never find them. When she had finished speaking, she aksed "Have you seen the other chicks? The bats were about to get them, but they saw me and all started chasing me at the last second. I wonder where they are..."

* * *

Larimar and Shiny both rose, ready to assist their flockmates. For a split-second, Larimar thought ' _Why now?!_ ' They'd just been reunited! She drew back her wing as Skah left her side, suddenly realizing how sore and cold and hurt that wing was.

Then she heard Ghost shriek. Ghost, another one of her friends, was in danger. They were all in danger. Teasing could wait. They had to get out of here. She followed Flocke, a little miffed that he was standing between her and Skah now. Shiny fell into line after her, shivering in fear but with a confident look on his face. She peered over his head at the other three, watching their every step with a critical eye.

"Come on," Shiny mumbled, lightly bumping her to make her keep moving. She felt a surge of protection for him, for all her flockmates. _Please don't get hurt! What would I do if any of you got hurt?  
_  
Perhaps she didn't hate the thought of making new friends. She hated the thought of losing them.

* * *

Dracellis stayed still for only a split second before darting outside. She had committed to this, not only for herself but for her flock. She would not go into this without giving it her all, Dracellis decided with determination. She quickly recalled the fighting skills she had learned with help from her brother when they were learning to survive as she swiftly followed where Skah led.

Aquarius followed Dracellis after only a bit, reluctantly leaving her brother to do so. She easily expected him to come along though in order to help their new friends. After all, they did seem pretty nice. Flocke seemed nice, and Skah apparently wasn't so bad according to him. So, she would help them!

Neo stayed still for quite a bit. That is, until it occurred to him that Aquarius might be going into danger. From bats, or from these new cubs, he wasn't quite sure. But he would need to protect her. Despite her enthusiasm, Aquarius didn't have the best fighting skills. Neo hurriedly followed after Aquarius.

* * *

Skah was moving through the forest with ease, it was like the forest wanted him to succeed. He felt a strange thrill as he led the group through forest, he knew they followed. And that was why, he was born to lead, to have others follow him. He relished it.

Skah burst into the clearing in time to see several bats swoop down on Ghost. But she sprung up at one of her attackers at the last possible moment, claws ripping through the soft wing membranes before she plummeted back to earth. The flapped furiously, trying to pull up from its dive. But before it could gain much altitude Skah was leaping up claws flashing, a protective instinct burning through him.

Ghost crouched on the ground waiting for the next wave of bats to come. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the others following Skah. A quick smile flashed across her beak as she saw Shiny and Larimar. But she was brought back to the moment as several more bats dived at her.

* * *

Dracellis fought back hear fears and lunged at one of the swooping bats. Tackling it to the ground she quickly bit its wing so it couldn't fly. Even if it by some chance her next attack wasn't enough to kill it and it managed to escape from her it wouldn't be able to get very far or cause much damage. At least not easily. Then she finished the bat. Quickly she readied her fighting stance to pounce at any other bats. She was determined that she would not let any get by her!

Aquarius darted forward without hesitation. She knew she could help her new friends, and she would! Unfortunately, there was one problem she had not realized. She had darted right into the path of an attacking bat. Eyes wide and horrified, not knowing well how to defend herself in time, Aquarius prepared for the pain she was about to face.

A flash of color announced Neo as he arrived onto the scene. Growling, Neo killed the bat that had almost harmed his sister. He spared a concerned glance to his sister.

He received in turn a quick nod from a calming Aquarius. She would be ready next time, she knew. Her brother would not need to save her again.

Neo let out a louder growl now, ready to fight of any bats now. His tail lashed furiously, and he was prepared to destroy any and all bats that attempted to even fly close the ground. Every single one of them was a risk to his sister, now, in his mind.

* * *

Two cubs paused in their footsteps as they heard the sound of a pending battle, screeching of cub griffins and the squealing of what sounded like... bats? Flaw looked over at Lock, who was looking in the direction of the sounds, the larger cub looked over at the smaller and sighed at the look in his green eyes. "Ok ok, we'll go check on them, you're too nice for your own good sometimes." He flicked his tail and the two of them ran closer to the battle. Pawsteps faded from sound as the two stopped, dropped down into a crouch, and crept forward to view the clearing and, most importantly, who was fighting.  
The battle had Flaw awestruck, cubs against bats! Who would've thought? He watched in amazement for a mere moment before he realized who exactly was fighting. His flock! All his old friends! Flaw felt excitement and nostalgia flow through him before he noticed Ghost was being attacked by some of the bats. The small cub threw himself into battle without another thought, ignoring Lock yelling 'no!' at him; and attached to one of the bats with a loud screech, locking his talons into the soft flesh of the underbelly and wings, the small runt clung to the large bat for dear life, biting and clawing at it. Lock cursed to himself angrily, clawing the ground in pure frustration at the reckless abandon Flaw showed, even after weeks or months of training the stupid runt to fight, he goes and does this! Lock stretched his wings in irritation and threw himself in battle, obviously a much better fighter than Flaw seemed to be doing.

* * *

One of the bats made a dive for Larimar. She ducked, scrambling backwards as its needle-like teeth snapped mere inches above her. She watched it fly back out of reach and noticed it was favoring one of its wings. It swooped down again, aiming for her yet again, and she saw the injury clearly. A tear in the right wing. _This must be the bat that was chasing me!  
_  
Her aching sides filled her with rage. The bat was probably just going for the nearest target with no way of knowing she was its former victim, but to Larimar, this fight was personal. "You!" she shrieked, her whole body tensing as she crouched down. She threw her weight onto her hind legs, each muscle preparing for the spring. But this time there would be no stumble. There would be no mistake. Her friends needed her again. This time she would NOT fail them.

The bat started on its way down for a third attack. Larimar concentrated on only one thing: the push. She acted on pure instinct, one last gift from the parents she would never know.

Her wings spread as she collided with the bat. Its sharp teeth chomped down on her leg as they crashed to the ground in a rolling mess of flailing wings. She tore herself away from that vile thing, slamming her sharp talons into its head. It screeched again. This time the sound was pained, almost pitiful. Pinning it down, she sank her sharp beak into its neck, enduring the slashes of its sharp claws as it died.

She let its limp body drop once it was still. Its last cry still echoed in her mind, but she felt no remorse for the creature who tried to kill her loved ones. _Lolly would have done that to protect us._ Her beak clenched in determination, and she returned to the battle.

* * *

Shiny spun around, running from a bat that had managed to yank out some of his feathers. Luckily, it had just missed his actual flesh. He was tired and bloody but doing okay so far. He nearly ran into another griffin. He backed up, thinking it was one of his friends, but when he looked closer he realized it was a different cub.

He squinted at the young male, a faint memory resurfacing from his early days as a chick. Different feathers. Familiar face. The flockmate they lost during the winter...

"Shy?!" he asked, only remembering the nickname Flocke had given to Special Flaw.


	59. - - Part IV, Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

As soon as Flocke entered the clearing, he ran straight to Ghost, dodging any bats that attempted to attack him. He slid to a stop next to her, and immediately began watching her back. As soon as he did, two bats darted down to attack him. He growled at them, and waited for them to get close.

The moment the first one was in range he leapt up and crushed it in his beak. The second bat was only seconds away from him, so he kept the first in his mouth as he swapped at the second. He felt his talons sink into the bat's furry skin and rip flesh, just before exiting and landing back onto the ground, now blood stained.

When the bat collapsed dead, he dropped the other one and waited for the next attack. However, before the next one could target him, Flocke's attention was drawn to a sudden foreign movement. Taking a quick glance, he was stunned at who he saw.

"Flaw?!" he said stunned. He knew Flaw's name now because the male had grown close enough to them, within the months before they separated, to tell them. But memories aside, Flocke was so startled that he let his guard down, and in turn, the next bat that attacked him was able to latch onto his back.

"Augh!" he screamed in pain. The black creature bit into his right shoulder and refused to let go. He felt its fangs go deep and quickly attempted to be rid of it. He shook and fell onto his back, trying to squish the bat. However, it refused to let go.

"Get off, you stupid bat!" he yelled as he finally managed to get his claw behind him and around the creature. He yanked on it, tearing his skin away with it, before throwing it to the ground.

All that was left now, was pain. It felt just like before when his leg had been injured. Suddenly, he was scared.

' _What if I get sick again?_ ' he hadn't liked it the first time, he doubted he'd like it a second time. His thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sight of another bat, about to attack him. He re-readied his stance, and prepared for the next fight, vaguely noticing the limp he now had.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

Gladiolus wasn't one to change his mind. When he decided something, he stuck to that decision. He was stubborn, and always believed he was right the first time around.

So it annoyed him that he had changed his mind, and that his obnoxious sister was aware of it.

Only ten minutes after walking in the opposite direction, Gladiolus turned around and began stomping back. He had previously not been interested in the bats- After all, they were just bats. However, after his sister mentioned their strange behavior, he began thinking more about it.

' _The only explanation is that they're attacking something..._ ' he thought to himself, for he rarely had need to speak aloud. ' _If they're mobbing something, then they're trying to kill it... If they happen to kill it... Perhaps an easy meal?_ ' Gladi didn't much care for scavenging- there was no fun in it- but what peaked his interest the most, unsurprisingly, was the destruction he hoped to see.

Bats were small, and if they were trying to kill something bigger than them, they'd obviously leave a mess. Gladiolus, bloodthirsty as he was, was thrilled at the thought of a bloody battlefield, where bodies lay scattered and blood stained the grass red. He enjoyed the thought of seeing death, and eating from its remains.

Of course, that also required that he change his mind. He hated doing it, but he'd forgive himself this time. After all- anything was worth seeing Death. The red-eyed male grinned cruelly at his own thoughts, as they continued going deeper into his insanity. His sister watched on, to afraid to say a word.

As time passed on, they became closer and closer to the clearing of cubs and bats, fighting for their lives.

* * *

All the while, the chicks did not know what what was going to happen next. "I can't have killed them all..." muttered Flasher as they soared over the forest. Frosti blinked as she clung to her shoulder. The wind was getting in her eyes and she couldn't see properly. "If there are any left, they will lead us to our friends. Lets hope they are all gone." She clenched her beak as she remembered how badly the mutants had treated the chicks, and how they loved to play with their victims before killing them. _I will defeat these monsters and save our species.  
_  
"Frosti! Look!" Flasher's startled voice cut through Frosti's thoughts. There, ahead of the two griffins was a seething mass of leathery bodies. The mutant creatures had not seen the grey splotch against the sky...yet!

"Hold on tight..." whispered Flasher. "This might be risky!" She began to rise up into the air, until she was above them. "Hey, you! BOMBS AWAYYYY!" she shrieked, and let something drop from her talons. It began to grow as it descended, and suddenly it expanded to the size of six fully grown elephants. Frosti gasped in wonder and horror as the vortex began swivel all over the place, gobbling up bats as it went. Then for the first time, she began to see what the mutants were trying to slaughter...

* * *

Skah turned to see Ghost about to be dive bombed by a pair of bats. Anger still flowed through his veins, the exercise was perfect for him letting off some steam. As he launched himself towards Ghost despairing that he wouldn't get to her in time, a flash of brown took out one of the bats while the other concentrated on Flocke.

Skah pulled up, Ghost was no longer in danger, and he wasn't worried about the brown flash. In truth, Skah wasn't worried much about anything at the moment. For the fight had awoken a savage instinct in him that he hadn't known he possessed.

He wanted to kill all the bats, and he would, he didn't see any reason why he couldn't in his adrenalin fueled state. He turned and noticed the cub nearest to him, Larimar, was in trouble. But he didn't notice so much that the cub (Larimar) was in trouble, he noticed that a bat was attacking the cub. That determined look lit up his eyes again and he swiped at another bat that flew too close to the ground. Efficiently, he tore out the bats windpipe with one strike of his beak. The blood spewed forth, all over his body. He threw his head back and screeched a sound of strength.

Ghost briefly caught a glance at her saviour, and to her immense surprise recognised the form of Flaw. Her shock was broken quickly as she heard Flocke in trouble behind her. She saw him dispatch the bat from his back, but in its place blood seeped. It was clear that he was injured and quite badly. Ghost rushed towards him swatting away at a bat before sliding to a stop infront of Flocke. She turned, facing the bats, determined to protect her friend.

"Flocke, how bad is it?" she queried. The bats had give them a brief respite as they were only on the edge of the clearing. From their position they could see the others battling away. She saw Skah at the nexus of it all, Larimar quite close, the three foreign cubs were staying quite close to each other. She could see Flaw fighting away, an incredibly confident looking cub at his side. And then she heard the call. It only took a moment for her to recognise it as Skah. But when she looked at him, he wasn't the quite controlled griffin he was usually. He was unrecognisable. His feathers were sleek with blood, and his eyes glowed with determination, strength and confidence. It scared even her.

* * *

Suddenly, a cluster of the bats shrieked and fell dead, across their throats were clear talon marks which still dripped fresh blood. One of the bats squealed as a white figure lept onto it's back and slashed a rope across it's jaws, then lashing it around it's neck. With every wild chuck at the angry griffin chick, the rope tightened around it's neck until the bat was struggling with every breath. Frosti steered the bat down through the swarm, the ones that tried to help their mate were the ones she lept on and strangled. With each of the bats she strangled, Frosti felt a growing surge of pride and determination. Flasher had told her to not use her magic because of how much it tired her. Then leaping onto the next bat, Frosti saw nine flashes of colour on the ground, each chick was fighting, fighting for their life.

"HEY!" she called. "GUYS! I'M BACK!"

Then she lept to the ground and joined them.


	60. - - Part IV, Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

Larimar spun around, a piece of another bat's wing still clutched in her beak. She was shocked (and pleased) to find out it was Skah who had saved her from it. He looked...different in the midst of the battle. She paused to hear his wild cry as he finished off the thing that had been attacking her.

The first thing she felt was fear. The sound cut into her heart, shocking her. Matoskah didn't sound like his usual, calm self anymore, and he certainly didn't look like himself. His uncontrolled rage frightened her. This fear was followed by another feeling, respect. She remembered that sense of awe when she met Skah and Ghost for the first time. Though perhaps respect didn't quite cover it anymore. She wanted to be like him. She wanted him to know she could be like him. Admiration and desire rushed over her.

Such raw savagery didn't come naturally to Larimar, but she would try. She would try to make Lolly proud. She would try to impress Skah.

Giving a much weaker battle cry, she leaped for the next bat. Catching its leg, Larimar snapped down on it with all her might. She dragged it down and began to wrestle with it on the ground. It bit and clawed, managing to leave some considerably bad marks before she snapped its neck with a stomp of her front feet.

* * *

"It feels like when that fox bit me- the day before we met you and Skah. But I can fight." Flocke replied to Ghost quickly before biting at a diving bite, that just barely missed being killed by him. All Flocke had done was lean forward, but the pain that shot up through his arm was excruciating. He gasped as he clenched his beak shut, not wanting to let the pain vocalize itself. "I think..." he said quietly to himself.

Apparently, a few of the bats saw Flocke's weakness. They called to some more before diving down to mob the small cub. Flocke saw them all just in time to dive away, but they quickly turned to continue targeting him.

Flocke would have stood his ground- really, he would have- however, knowing that Ghost was right behind him, made him worried. The bats would mob her too, if she was next to him. He knew he couldn't fend them all off, and that he'd only hinder everyone if he stayed put. Deciding quickly, and ignoring the pain in his arm, Flocke yelled at the bats targeting him before darting into the forest- away from the others. The bats that were mobbing him quickly followed him in. He was able to draw away about twenty bats in all.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

"Why are we waiting here again?" Tulip asked her brother as he watched the distant bats swarming in the sky. They had stopped about a mile away, and were simply staying there. "I thought we were going to the bats."

"No- I'm going to whatever the bats leave behind. Do you really think I'd go into a swarm of bloodthirsty bats for no reason?" Tulip went to answer when Gladiolus stopped her sternly. "Don't answer that."

They went back to waiting. Gladiolus could just barely hear the fight in the distance, but not enough to be able to tell who was fighting. Growling quietly, he finally decided to get a closer look.

He glanced at his resting sister, and quickly chose to leave her. She'd only burden him, and get him into trouble. So she'd stay here while he checked out the "battlefield".

"Stay here." he ordered, and before she could even look up, he was gone. Huffing, Tulip curled up as tightly as she could to expel the sudden terror she had of being alone and in danger. At any moment, something could come crashing the brush to eat her.

But that would be nothing compared to what Gladi would do to her for disobeying his orders...

* * *

"Flocke!" Shiny darted away from Flaw. He was still flabbergasted by meeting his old friend, but Flocke could be severely hurt. He watched as Flocke broke off from the main group, moving into the forest with a portion of the bats still following him. He spotted a flash of white beneath the dark swarm, too. _Ghost!_

Shiny started to panic. _I have to help them!_ He quickly surveyed the fight going on around him. Skah and Larimar were bloody but alive. Dracellis, Neo, and Aquarius were all putting up a good fight. _They'll be fine if I leave. I must to help my other friends._ Without another thought, he raced after Flocke and Ghost.

* * *

Ghost glanced back at Flocke, he didn't sound that confident that he was alright. She stayed with Flocke as he was pushed away from the rest of the cubs. Ghost had a grim, but determined look on her face. But there were just too many bats for her alone to fend off, and Flocke wasn't able to do too much.

Suddenly the attacking bats she had to fend off was reduced; she became aware of a smaller cubs presence at her side. Shiny seemed just as determined as her that the bats wouldn't get Flocke.

Skah's uncontrolled attack on the bats continued, it was like an endless emotional energy was pouring out of him. He received numerous nicks, scratches and bites, but he didn't feel any of them in the heat of battle. He was vaguely aware that Larimar was fighting away at his side. But he had no idea that Flocke, Ghost and Shiny were being driven away, his focus was to tightly centred on the immediate battle around him.

He jumped again catching a bat in its soft wings, tearing through them until his talons caught in its body. Crashing to the ground he rolled, crushing the bats body beneath himself. But the bat was quicker than he anticipated, it bit his neck tearing out feathers and drawing blood. This time it hurt.

The shock of the bats bite caused him to forcefully throw the bat away from him and into a tree. He threw it with such force that its body wrapped around the tree backwards, breaking its neck before slumping to the ground.

Skah sucked in some deep breaths, trying to hold off the pain. He managed it to some degree, but the pain had been enough to bring him out of his frenzied state. He still fought the bats, but the savage ferocity had gone from him.

* * *

As Flocke ran, he became vaguely aware of the fact that the bat's attacks were becoming less and less. He risked looking behind him to see his two friends keeping up with him. He smiled in relief, grateful that they were helping him.

However, before Flocke could turn his head back around, he slipped- right over a steep hill.

"Ahh!-" he panicked as he began tumbling down. The gravel kept hitting his shoulder (it hit everywhere else too, but he was mainly paying attention to his shoulder) making the pain even worse with each turn. By the time he reached the bottom, Flocke didn't want to move.

' _Why am_ I _always getting hurt?_ ' he thought to himself as he attempted to stand; only to fall back down with an "Oof!".

* * *

 _ **Nearby...**_

Tulip was awaiting her brother's return when she heard the sound of someone yelling. For a moment, she wondered of Gladiolus had found a new victim.

' _No. He went to see the bats._ ' she told herself.

As scared as she was of leaving, curiosity got the best of her. She stood up and followed the sound. She was starting to think it was just her imagination when she heard a nearby "Oof!". Peeking through some bushes, she finally managed to see the source of the sounds.

A light brown feathered, blue-eyed cub lay sprawled out on the ground, seemingly unable to move. She saw the gash on his left shoulder and was immediately worried. But she knew better than to go out there. He wasn't her brother. He was a strange cub. It was best she avoided him.

But if that were true, then why was she still watching him?

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile..._**

Gladiolus had easily snuck up on the bats and their prey. No one knew he was there, and they never would. He easily blended in with the shadows.

He hadn't been surprised to find that the creatures the bats were attacking were cubs. However, he was surprised at how many cubs there were- and they were doing well at fighting off the bats. He somehow doubted they'd lose the fight.

' _Let's see... how many are there?_ ' he asked himself. He was talking about the cubs. He was completely interested in these new foes- not the bats- and did a quick assessment of them. There were four that drew his eyes immediately- Longlock, Neo, Larimar and Skah.

' _Those males look worthy of a good fight._ ' he thought giddily to himself. ' _Especially that last one. He looks just as bloodthirsty as me!_ ' But then Skah came out of his frenzied state, and Gladi frowned. So the other male wasn't normally like that? Gladiolus grinned again. ' _I'll teach him how wonderful blood can be then._ ' He then turned his head slightly to peer at the other cub he had noticed.

' _And although she looks strong for a hen, the female probably isn't worth my time. And least, not for now. At least she's stronger than that runt that trails after me._ ' he thought back to his sister and how he'd love to be rid of her. She was too curious, and too kind hearted. It was dangerous for him to keep her around.

' _Then there's that last male,_ ' he thought while looking at Flaw. ' _Not worth it yet. Too small to be stronger than me. And then there's those two females staying near that one male. Too weak- Like Tulip._ he thought, eyeing Aquarius and Dracellis. ' _That seems to be it. I'll definitely be looking for these cubs later. Perhaps tomorrow..._ ' he thought as he began laughing quietly to himself. However, that's when Flasher and Frosti came into view.

When he saw the adult hen, and what she did, Gladiolus suddenly felt something he never thought he'd feel- fear. He knew better now. An adult- male or female- was not something to mess with. And that thing that she did. He'd have to figure that out first, before ever going near her.

' _Hmm..._ ' he thought, strategizing. ' _It seems more thought than brawn will have to go into this..._ he smirked. ' _Good. Things have been getting kind of boring lately. I admire a challenge._ '

He continued to watch the fight quietly from the shadows, unaware that part of the group he was planning on killing, wasn't even there. But was, in fact, near his oh so curious sister.


	61. - - Part IV, Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

Suddenly, three bats flew at Flasher, tearing at her feathers with their talons. But before they could get a proper grip of their victim, she twisted free and and raked at their eyes with her talons. Blood spewed from the wounds, staining her claws a crimson red.

Spinning around, Flasher lashed out at another five bats trying to tear out her feathers, and brought up her great wings to shield herself from the onslaught. It was true that she was dripping blood from most of her body, but it was only the blood of her enemies.

Behind her, Frosti fought with the same fury, but twice the speed and agility. This time she had decided to just tackle one bat at a time, lashing out with the rope at any of the other ones that had decided to attack her on her mount. The bat she sat upon screeched in fury and frustration in it's futile attempts to buck off it's rider, but Frosti sat as steady as ever, forcing it's every move.

* * *

Neo's eyes watched the skies, surveying it for the next bad swooping. As another bat flew down he attempted to quickly dispatch it like the previous bat. This bat had other ideas, though. It managed to bit the exact same spot on his front leg he had gotten hurt before by bats, and now it hurt yet again. He winced, pained a bit. He had almost forgotten about his kinda small wound. He jumped at the bat and clawed the bat down using his other paw. Neo managed to kill it, but barely. He winced as he hit the ground after his jump and ended up landed mostly on the front leg that had gotten hurt.

Aquarius lunged for a bat that had gotten low enough. She managed to injure it, but barely. All she had managed to do was send the bat higher into the skies. She felt kinda... disappointed at how little help she was in this battle. She had never really noticed it before. Mostly Neo, and rarely Dracellis, would fight anything that attacked them. And now she wasn't helping very much even as her friends and her big brother got injured.

Dracellis carefully timed her jump at the next bat so that she managed to get and kill it swiftly. She paused, waiting for the next bat. She glanced around to see the other cubs, and was somewhat startled to see Flocke, Shiny and Ghost missing. Had something happened to them? She looked around nervously, but refocused as a bat swooped down and almost got her face. It only missed because she jumped backwards, startled. Dracellis focused back on the bats and readied herself for the next attack. She could worry about that later, right now she had to deal with these bats.

* * *

Longlock twisted carefully in the air, using his wings as well as his tail to dodge the bat that tried too attack him. He landed lightly on his feet and leapt at the bat, tearing into the soft membrane of the wing and ripping it apart. He let out a soft chuckle as he leapt back, dodging another attack and returning it with a quick swipe of his claws to the bat's face. It screeched in anger and ta ckled the cub, they rolled on the ground a few feet before Lock was able to finally kill it with a swipe to its throat. He stood and shook his feathers of debris before he cast a quick glance around and made his way over to Flaw, who was having trouble with a bat that was diving down and attacking before it would pull back before the small cub could retort.

Flaw was having the trouble of a lifetime attacking this bat. It was screeching scarily before it would fold its wings and dive down to slash at him, Flaw ducked and let out a quiet squeak before he straightened and tried to attack the retreating creature. Flaw let out a frustrated noise before Lock leapt in on the bats back, forcing it down to the ground where Flaw lunged in and killed it, with only minor trouble.

* * *

Shiny yelped in surprise and instinctively halted when Flocke slipped. He cringed, watching helplessly as his friend tumbled down the hill and landed in a bloody pile of feathers. His heart began to pound even faster than it had before. It looked like Flocke could have been seriously injured from that fall.

Luckily, he saw the cub soon trying to get up again. At the very least, he wasn't _dead_.

Shiny carefully made his way down the slope toward Flocke. The loose dirt and rocks kept slipping under his shaking paws, so it took him much longer than he thought it would. It slid out from under him near the very end of his descent, causing him to crash down next to the lighter colored cub (albeit in much better condition).

"Ouch! That looked like it really hurt, Flocke," he commented, shaking some of the dirt out of his bruised wings as he limped up to his friend. He didn't notice Tulip hiding nearby. She was too well disguised by the bush and he was too concerned with their injuries to care about their surroundings.

* * *

"Yeah... It did." Flocke replied, deciding that hiding his pain would be pointless this time. "Looks like the bats gave up. Either that, or you killed them all..." He attempted to stand again, new energy entering his body at the sight of his friend who he viewed as a younger brother, but failed miserably. He fell once again, because of the pain.

"I don't think I can stand up..." he said, discouraged.

From the other side of the bushes, Tulip watched the interaction quietly. She was startled to hear them speaking so casually. She didn't normally see other cubs unless they were begging for their lives or already dead. Seeing these two males talking, like friends... it was starting to make her feel emotionally attached. That was something Gladi always reprimanded her for- getting attached. She wanted to turn away, because of this. But for some reason, she couldn't.

At seeing the older male try to stand, only to fall in pain, made her suddenly... want to help...

' _No. Nonononononono!_ ' she thought desperately. She couldn't feel attached. It would be the death of her! But she just couldn't help it! Tulip clenched her beak, and refused to give in. ' _I wont become attached. I can't._ ' And deep inside, she new she was wrong.

* * *

Ghost slid down the bank and came to a stop next to Shiny. She glanced back up the slope, nervously watching for any more bats. Her eyes darted around at the slightest movement, but she saw no bats. Her attention was so totally focussed on watching for bats, that she did not notice Tulip in the slightest. Satisfied that they had lost the bats for now she turned to Flocke.

She had seen him struggle to get up and fall from the top of slope. "Just rest for a moment", she told him gently. Frankly they all needed a rest what with all the running and fighting they had been doing. They hadn't even had breakfast that morning!

Taking the moments rest Ghost addressed Shiny, for she hadn't seen him since they got separated in the winter. "Look at you Shiny, you've gone and grown up on us!" she exclaimed.

* * *

"I...I have?" Shiny spread his wings again and carefully tilted his head to observe his new feathers. He recalled his earlier conversation with Larimar. All of them certainly _looked_ different, but for some reason, Shiny still felt the same. It wasn't as if his new plumage had changed who he was. He still felt awfully immature and unprepared. It was as if his body was growing so fast that his mind couldn't keep up.

Then he thought back to earliest days as a dark, fluffy chick. How foolish he had been back then! Charging a raccoon. Thinking Larimar was his mother. Messing up every single move Skah and Ghost tried to teach him. He hadn't known a single thing about the world. But he survived, and he learned. He learned how to defend himself. He learned how to hunt. He learned about life and death. He learned his mother was never coming back. _I have changed_ , he realized. _All of us have._

"I guess we're all really different now," he replied. "I mean, think of all the cool stuff we know! Look how big we are!" Now that they were cubs, Shiny had 'caught up' in size to the girls. He still wasn't nearly as big or strong as Skah, but he was no longer obviously the youngest.

* * *

Flocke did as told and rested, though he doubted it would help. He was already starting to feel hot.

' _Will I get sick everytime I get hurt?_ ' he thought, annoyed with his own, weak body. He laid his head down and listened to his friend's conversation, when he thought he saw something move in the bushes. He stilled his breath, and watched, not telling the others that something was up. For all he knew, it was the incoming fever that was making him see things.

Tulip, was staring just as intently back. She knew she had been seen. She was trying to get a closer look when he spotted her. She didn't even know why she wanted a closer look! Or, more specifically, she wanted to see his injury. Now, however, as the blue-eyed cub stared at her with determination, Tulip suddenly realized why she was looking. Why she couldn't turn away. She tried to clench her beak shut, but she just couldn't

"Does he need help?" she asked quietly, but loud enough for them all to hear. If they needed it, she could help. She knew certain things that she doubted these cubs did. Things she learned from living with a brother who enjoyed pain and torture. Things that, for once, were good.


	62. - Book 2, Part V (Cub Stage B)

**Chicks of Destiny**  
 **Book 2**

* * *

PART V:

CUB STAGE B

* * *

In which the flock is victorious,  
a foe is revealed,  
disputes continue,  
and the path becomes ever more difficult.


	63. - - Part V, Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

Ghost swung around at the sound of a timid voice. Her eyes instantly found Tulip hiding in the undergrowth. She silently berated herself for letting her guard down. Ghost took a step towards the cub, a deliberate step that put herself between Flocke and the bush. Putting aside some of her misgivings Ghost responded, "I don't know. Flocke do you need help". She waited prepared to defend Flocke if the cub decided on getting aggressive.

Meanwhile Skah had a moments respite, for the bats had grow significantly less in numbers and no longer attacked every other moment. He glanced around at the others, seeing how they fared. It was only then that he noticed the adult hen in their midst. He was initially surprised, for he hadn't seen any adult griffins since the day his mothers flock had been destroyed. He watched her silently for a moment, she was skilful as she fought the bats. But he quickly became wary of her. What was it that she wanted with them? Why was she here?

* * *

Larimar bit and clawed her way through the swarm of bats. While it had been somewhat lessened by Flocke's departure, she was still facing a lot more than she could handle. She fought her way toward the edge of the battle, trying to give herself just a few gasps of air before she plunged back into the fray. Distracted by the fight, she had slowly drifted away from her position beside Skah. A great deal of foes were now in between them. _Just focus on fighting. Impressing your friends can wait for later. Focus on getting out alive.  
_  
She looked up from the still warm body of a slain bat, her face now covered in sticky red. The salty, metallic taste of blood filled her beak. Death was everywhere. This was definitely the most intense fight she'd ever been in. She pushed on, ignoring the fear and disgust she felt when she saw the number of dead creatures that surrounded them.

She approached another cub, expecting it to be one of the new three. Instead she found herself fighting beside FrostFire. _Wait, she came back?!_ Larimar stumbled backwards, shocked by the sight of the griffin who had dragged her into this whole bat problem. _She came back to help us?_

Unsure of whether to be enraged or grateful, she let her guard down for a most unfortunate second. A large bat slammed into her from behind, pinning her to the ground. She sank her talons into its thick fur, shrieking and kicking for her life.

* * *

With a screech of anger, Frosti swooped down from her bat and threw her lasso around it's neck. The bat that was attacking Larmiar screeched in pain as the rope tightened and throttled it.

With a yank, Frosti tugged the rope from around the corpse's neck and held out her paw. "Quick! They'll be back very soon!" she panted.

 _Meanwhile..._

"Get under my wings, you'll be safe there!" gasped Flasher, launching a hurricane as another wave of attackers swooped down upon them. The mutants shrieked in terror as they were swept up into the air and smashed against the tree trunks. "I'm very sure I can handle this!"

A bolt of violet lightning flew across the sky like a flaming arrow, and struck one of her victims in the chest, the bat exploded into shards of fiery residue, setting more of it's companions alight.

Somewhere in the trees she saw FrostFire leap down from her bat to help the fallen chick. "Quick, I want to keep you safe!" shouted Flasher, spreading out her body like a living shield.

* * *

Longlock looked over at the sound of heavier wing beats and was quite shocked to see an adult, let alone an adult attacking the bats. Wariness overtook the cub before he was yanked out of his thoughts by a bat tackling him. They tumbled across the ground in a fit of snarls, hisses, bites and claws. Lock was able to tear himself away, ignoring the feeling of pain across his chest. He let out a snarl of annoyance and leapt forward, dodging an attack at him again, the brown cub twisted as he landed, immediately pouncing at the attacker and dispatching it with a quick swipe to its throat. The cub let out a huff of breath and looked around; he wasn't how long he... or any of the others... could keep this up, the bats felt endless.

Lock jumped in surprise at the sound of the adult hen yelling down orders (not that she is, that's just how he sees it) He snorted in response, not willing to trust the hen, and shot her a glare before he dodged another bat and made his way back to Flaw, the tumble carrying him farther than he liked from his smaller friend. His chest stung, he could feel blood on his feathers, but he knew that it wasn't deep enough to cause trouble as long as this didn't drag on forever.

* * *

When the older female stepped forward, Tulip had to force every muscle in her body to stay still so she wouldn't step back. Ghost scared her, but in a good way- if that made any sense. It was the type of fear she _should_ feel when meeting new cubs. Not the terror and disgust she felt when Gladiolus "met" them too. Gulping, and not really knowing what to do, Tulip stubbornly held her ground.

Flocke was watching her closely. He knew Ghost didn't trust this new cub, but Tulip hadn't really given any sign to show that they shouldn't. Not to mention, Flocke was very trusting and currently in pain.

"What makes you think you can help?" he asked the strange cub, in a pain filled voice.

"I- I know some things. Things... Things that can make the pain and nausea go away." Tulip stuttered. She wanted these cubs to rust her.

"N-nas-sea?" Flocke sounded out on his tongue. He understood the word, but it was the first time he had ever used it.

"Yeah. I know something that can help with that." Tulip said, feeling braver now. "It would just take me a moment to find the stuff. You'll be better in only a few minutes." Now she looked back to Ghost. "I promise. I can help. I... I _need_ to help... He'll only get worse."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Gladiolus had watched long enough. He could tell the cubs would win- he didn't need to stay around long enough for them to no longer be distracted once they did. So he quietly snuck away. He was beginning to make his way back to where he left Tulip, when something hit him hard from the side.

Looking up, he saw black and white fur, before he saw the badger that wore it. The large, domineering creature stood at full height, with a starved look in its eyes. Gladiolus snickered.

"Are you truly so hungry, that you'll risk preying upon _me_? Tsk, tsk..." he shook his head, as if he pitied the badger. But then, he glared back with a bloodthirsty look and insane grin. "Let's just see, who eats who?"

The badger attacked...

* * *

Shiny's feathers rose in a mixture of fear and hostility. The strange female cub seemed to be friendly, but the fight with the bats was making him anxious and paranoid. He looked to Ghost, wondering if she shared his concerns, and saw that she, too, had struck a defensive pose. He was surprised that Tulip didn't show any sign of nervousness or fear at this. Ghost seemed quite formidable to him.

As Tulip explained how she could help Flocke, Shiny began to calm down and regained his usual young, trusting attitude.

"You...you can help him? You can fix his injuries and stuff?" he asked with a mixture of curiosity and relief. He glanced back at Flocke. His friend's wounds did look really bad, much worse than his own. Flocke needed all the help they could get. He put on one of the genuinely innocent smiles that had become his signature. "Who are you?"

* * *

Tulip was unsure about answering Shiny's last question. She didn't think it could do any harm, but at the same time, Gladiolus might be upset with her for telling them.

' _Then again... It's not like he's going to know..._ ' she thought to herself.

"I- I'm Tulip. I have a- er." Nope, she couldn't tell them about Gladiolus. That would get her killed. Either they'd kill her, or her brother would... "I have a pretty good way to help him. At least... I'm pretty sure it's a good way..." She wittily said, changing what she had been about to say.

Meanwhile, Flocke was starting to lose interest in the conversation in favor of trying to sleep. He was suddenly _really_ tired.

' _Tulip, huh..._ ' he thought, as he began to drift off. "That's a sweet name..."


	64. - - Part V, Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

Ghost relented a little when Tulip spoke again. It was clear to her now that the cub was no threat to them. She turned back to Flocke, only to see his head flop onto the ground. She rushed forward and nudged Flocke's shoulder calling his name in concern.

Watching Flasher, a devious idea occurred to Skah. It wasn't them that had attracted the bats, it was Frosti. And to Skah cold calculations that meant they needed to lose her and probably Flasher as well. The bats above him were distracted by Flasher's magic so he took his chance and ran over to Larimar. Before he could get there she was attacked from behind. She fell flat onto her belly, the sight sparked Skah's anger again and he raced towards her.

Just before he could reach her Frosti appeared and lassoed the bat choking it to death. As she offered a paw to Larimar, Skah slid to a stop beside her, hackles raised, hissing sharply. "Don't touch her", he growled threateningly as he took a small step forward.

* * *

Frosti drew in a quick breath and hopped away from the older male. What was he doing here? He was glaring at her in such an angry, furious manner that she forgot her pride and backed off, her tail between her legs.

"What was th-"

Her comment was cut off by a terrible screech. Flasher had seen what was happening and had lowered her guard. The instant she did this, eight bats who had been watching her every move and waiting for the right moment to attack had swooped down at her neck and brest. Flasher saw them a second too late, they latched onto her body and started to tear, ripping away her feathers and stabbing at her flesh...

* * *

Skah growled even louder, "I said don't touch her. Just go. Go away, they're after you, not us, you said it yourself!" Skah's voice remained hard and unfriendly the whole time. For him the whole problem with the bats, stemmed from the appearance of Frosti. It was logical. Dismissing Frosti, Skah turned to Larimar, a surprising amount of concern evident in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he said.

* * *

"I'm fine," Larimar said breathlessly, struggling to her feet. Her side hurt like crazy, but she couldn't dwell on that. Her gaze quickly shifted from Skah to Flasher. The adult hen was being attacked by a gang of vicious bats. Larimar felt a surge of empathy, the most basic form of compassion that told her she had to help a fellow griffin. _She's a grown-up_ , Larimar reasoned. _A big, magical grown-up. She'll be able to fight them off._

She knew Skah was right. It was Frosti who led the bats to them. However, that nagging voice in the back of Larimar's head kept insisting that it really wasn't the snow white cub's fault. After all, FrostFire had been trying to warn them when she accidently set the bats on their flock as well, and it looked like she was doing all she could to get them out of it now. Larimar just needed someone to blame. She needed someone other than herself to hate for this situation. And Frosti, unfortunately, would suffice.

"Come on," she wheezed, pulling at Skah's wing with her beak. "We have to get out of here. They won't follow-" She paused to take in a painful breath, her whole chest erupting in pain as she did. "-They won't follow us if they're distracted."

Honestly, she felt guilty about leaving Frosti and Flasher behind, but getting Skah and herself out alive mattered more to her at the moment. She looked up at Frosti, this shame evident in her tired green stare. _I'm sorry..._

* * *

Feeling the nudge, Flocke opened his eyes a little to see Ghost. He smiled, before closing them again. Tulip clenched her beak.

"Okay. I'll be right back." she said, before disappearing through the brush. She needed to find the things she would use.

Tulip had once been severely hurt by an owl during the night. Because her brother ignored her, she took it upon herself to care for the wound herself. After limping around for awhile, (her brother followed her in amusement) she noticed a wild boar and its sounder ((group)) hovering near some bushes. Upon impulse, she decided to watch them, and noticed that the first boar had a bad gash in its side- most likely left from the tusk of another boar- and that it was vomiting. She watched as it ate from the bushes before lying down near by. Next, she noticed two things: One, the boar had stopped vomiting, and two, another pig had gone over and placed something over the first boar's wounds, after tearing the something apart.

An hour passed before the boar finally got up and left with the others- leaving what had been on its wound behind.

Tulip finally walked over, and found that the bushes were Basil plants, and that the thing they used as a bandage was a torn Aloe leaf. With hope shining in her eyes, she did what the boars had done- eating what was left of the basil and placing half of an Aloe leaf on her wound. By the next day, she was feeling great, and the wound was healing without infection. She marveled in how a plant could do such things. Her brother was not as joyful.

Now, she looked for these plants again. She was unaware that Basil didn't normally grow in the spring. She managed to find an aloe, and quickly stripped it of its leaves, before looking around for some basil. A few minutes passed, and she was starting to worry, when low-and-behold, she found one small, early blooming bush of Basil.

' _Oh, thank goodness!_ ' she thought as she uprooted the bush from the ground. With Basil in her beak, and Aloe leaves on her back, she began walking back to the group of cubs. ' _I hope they're still there. I was gone longer than I thought I'd be..._ '

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile..._**

Gladiolus heaved as he rested, trying to catch his breath. He had known going in that badgers were a tough opponent. He would have run away when he was a chick. But now? Now he was bigger, and stronger. He could take it, with just a little difficulty. Sure, he was bruised, and scarred... but he wasn't dead.

The badger was, though...

Gladiolus laughed, drenched in the blood of his victory. He watched as the blood ran through his previously brown feathers.

' _Oh... I look so much better with red feathers... I better get them back when I'm older. If not... I'll just have to paint them red._ he thought with a grin. Looking over to the dead body that was the badger, he wondered what he'd do with it. When his stomach growled, he sighed. ' _Well... I did say I'd eat him._ '

Gladi clenched his beak around the badgers scruff, before slowly pulling it back towards where Tulip was supposed to be…

* * *

With an angry battle cry, Flasher killed the bats in a swipe and rolled back onto her feet. Blood dripped from a scar on her chest, but she knew that it would not be there for long.

"Hey, are you guys hurt?" she called, prowling over to them and placing herself between the three chicks and the remaining bats. The mutants hissed and backed off as they caught sight of her. "Ooooh, dear. That looks nasty..." she gasped as she saw the wounds

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile..._**

Frosti stared at the departing two chicks as she lassoed another bat around it's wing. Why did everything bad always happen to her? _First my family gets killed by bats, then an eagle eats all of Pixie's last dove collections, then a cobra chases me out of my last den, then the bats catch up and hunt me for a week, and now I nearly die trying to lead the mutants away from the other chicks and they are still neglecting me. They all hate me for putting their lives in danger.  
_  
There were only about thirty bats in the sky now, and Flasher was already chasing after six of them, driving them away from the flock. _That will teach the hunter to pick on someone his own size! He won't know what has hit him!_


	65. - - Part V, Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

Skah completely ignored Frosti and Flasher, instead turning with Larimar and heading off into the forest. Before he left the clearing he took one sweep glance, searching for Ghost and the others. He notice she was missing and so was Shiny and Flocke. It didnt worry him, he knew Flocke and Ghost had been working together. He also knew where Ghost would have gone. A wheezing sound broke through his thoughts, causing him tk turn to Larimar. She was wheezing heavily even though they had onpy gone a short way. "How bad is it Larimar?" He queried.

Ghost meanwhile was standing over Flocke hiding her concern by talking to Shiny casually. "We've all changed a bit, but hopefully not too much. Anyway you'll still be the baby", she teased him.

* * *

Shiny started to protest. "Oh, come on! One day I'll be just as big as Skah and nobody can call me that anymore." He lashed his tail in fake anger, a big, amused smile still stuck on his face. He didn't actually mind being called that by his friends. He dreamed of one day being big and strong, but for now he was content with being a cub as long as he could.

Tulip returned before he could say anything else. He stared at the plants she had brought back with her. Perplexed, he chirped, "So those leaves will fix up Flocke? Are they magic?"

He had seen and helped his friends do things like clean wounds and bandage deep ones, but these leaves didn't look like the sort that you would wrap around the cut. The concept of medicine and healing herbs was completely new to him. _What would she need those for? To soak in the blood?_

* * *

Noticing his two friends leaving, Flaw called to Lock as they dispatched another bat and turned and trotted after them. Lock frowned as he watched his friend chase after the two that had departed before he glanced around and followed with irritation. It was his fault he was here in the first place and now he just wanted to leave? These must've been the chicks Flaw had talked about constantly he suddenly realized. Lock sighed lightly loped after him til he caught up as Flaw dropped to a walk and walked over to Skah and Laramir, timidly. Suddenly, doubts came to his mind. What if they didn't recognize him? What if they didn't want him there anymore? If they did, would they allow Lock to stay with him? Flaw debated it as he stopped next to the others. "Uh... hey..." He started, his voice was really quiet and he was looking at his paws. "Is Larry ok?"

* * *

Aquarius noticed the other griffin cubs moving, and her focus on the bats disappeared. The kinda scary one, even though Flocke said he wasn't, called Skah was over by the kinda snappish one named Larimar... Or was it Larry? She couldn't recall. Two others she didn't know were following them. "Neo! The other cubs are leaving? Can we follow them?" Aquarius shouted to Neo was a bit farther away from her. She hoped they could follow.

Neo startled as he heard Aquarius's shout. He tilted his head thoughtfully. If they followed them his sister could have some new friends. But they also might lead them into more trouble. He didn't want his sitter getting hurt. A couple of the griffin cubs didn't seem so nice either. But this was what Aquarius wanted... "N-" He started to speak.

"I'm sure we can!" Dracellis piped up, excitedly. While some of them had beed kind of mean, a few of them had nice. Even just a few friends would be cool. Dracellis suddenly recalled something. "Um... were you about to say something, Neo?" Dracellis spoke uncertainly. What if her brother didn't want to go. Would he be upset with her?

Aquarius gave a delightedly look to Dracellis as she informed her that they would be going. This was so great! Maybe they could one day join the flock? There will be so many new friends! "Yay!" Aquarius exclaimed before bounding off to go after them.

Neo had let out an almost inaudible growl that would've been impossible to hear from the distance away from him that Aquarius and Dracellis were when Dracellis interrupted him. How dare she answer when Aquarius had asked him?! It wasn't her right to answer HIS sister's question towards him! He tried to calm down and eventually succeeded. "No. I was not going to say anything." He lied tensely. It was to late to say anything. Aquarius was now too excited, and it would disappoint her too much. He then saw Aquarius leaving. He quickly follow her.

Dracellis gave an uncertain look as Neo walked away. He had sounded a bit tense. Had Neo... lied to her? But big brother wouldn't lie to her! She shook her head clearing her thoughts. It was was nothing, her brother had said so. Dracellis then noticed Aquarius and Neo were a while away. She hurried to catch up to them.

* * *

Tulip was beginning to get weighed down by the plants when she finally made it back.

' _Oh good. They're still here._ ' she thought happily. She was startled by Shiny's question.

"Well... I-I don't _think_ they are. I mean... They didn't feel magical when I used them. I think... I think it might be something _inside_ them that makes them good." she walked over to Flocke, and dropped the Basil in front of him. "Eat this. You won't vomit, or feel like vomiting, if you eat it."

Flocke opened his eyes tiredly to see what she was talking about. It took him a moment to decide whether to eat it or not. (After all, plants weren't exactly a part of his every day diet.) But he finally relented.

"Okay." he said, as he began nibbling the Basil. The texture annoyed him. He wasn't able to grasp the plant his in beak and rip it like he did with meat. He went to spit it out when Tulip clamped his beak shut, before letting go immediately. She backed up, apologetic.

"I-I'm sorry! I just... You need to eat it. It made _me_ feel better before I got sick... so you should eat it." she told him quickly. Reluctantly, he nodded before swallowing the plant, then gagging in distaste.

"Please, don't make me do that again." he begged. Tulip smiled ever so slightly before taking an Aloe leaf from her back. She ripped it into two pieces, before gently placing it over Flocke's shoulder.

"I think the gooey stuff in this leaf is what helps. It stings at first though, so-"

"Ack!" Flocke flinched at the contact. It _did_ sting. Tulip looked at him, unimpressed.

"Baby..." she couldn't help it. Even _she_ didn't get that worked up over it, and she thought herself pretty weak.

"Shut up! It hurt!" Flocke retorted childishly, before pouting. Tulip readjusted the Aloe so it covered his entire wound.

"Now... we wait. The leaf will help it heal, and stop the infection." she said, certain. Flocke was actually starting to feel better already, and was suddenly in the mood to talk.

"So, you're Tulip?" he asked, and she nodded. "I'm Flocke! Thanks for helping me! Soo... where'd you come from?" he asked. Tulip thought of something as quickly as possible.

"Oh... no where really. I kind of live on my own." ' _With a brother who kills anything that moves... But I won't say that..._ ' she didn't like lying, but she couldn't tell them the truth either. ' _I just hope he gets better soon so he can leave._ ' she begged silently.

* * *

Shiny watched her treat Flocke with the strange leaves. It puzzled him. How could something that caused pain be helping? How was eating more going to stop Flocke from throwing up? He still trusted her knowledge more than his own. They needed all the help that they could get right now.

"That's kind of sad. I mean, I can't imagine ever making it out here by myself." Shiny said sympathetically, thinking of Tulip growing up alone with no friends to talk to, to fight beside, to snuggle with at night. That just wasn't the way he thought a griffin should grow up. He brightened up suddenly. "Hey! Why don't you join our flock? You're really smart. I bet the others wouldn't have a problem with it."

He looked back at Flocke and Ghost, hoping they would agree.

* * *

"It...I'll be fine. I'm just...bruised. It's f-fine." Larimar struggled to hide her pain. Her right side felt like it was on fire, and that fire was eating away at her entire body. Her ribs were either broken or terribly bruised (she'd never hurt herself this badly so it was hard for her to tell). She couldn't even feel her scratches and bites anymore; everything had been swallowed up by that deep, burning pain in her ribs. Every breath made her want to cry out. She couldn't remember ever feeling so much agony in her whole life.

 _No_ , she kept repeating to herself. _It's fine. You'll be fine. Just keep going and you'll be fine._ Flaw came up to them, asking a similar question. "Yeah," she gasped. "D-don't...call me...that..."

Larimar stumbled after Skah, heading into the safety of the deep forest. She didn't notice another pair of chicks following them. It was hard for her to focus on anything but her next breath and pain that wracked her body. _You'll be fine. Keep going..._

* * *

Flocke, of course, immediately agreed with Shiny on both parts.

"Yeah! You wouldn't have to be alone anymore! We would take care of you, and be your friends. Right Ghost?" Flocke was certain that Tulip would be happily welcomed. She seemed kind enough, and he believed she would enjoy the company. She seemed like the type who shouldn't like being alone. In fact, he almost thought that she might be lying.

' _She seems too shy to willingly be on her own. And I hate to think it... but she seems too weak to have lived so long. Luck? Doesn't matter, I guess. If she says she's alone, then who am I to say she's not?_ ' he thought to himself. He was also starting to notice that his shoulder was feeling slightly better. ' _Whoa... That's amazing!_ ' he thought, rolling his shoulder to stretch the pained muscles.


	66. - - Part V, Chapter 56

Chapter 56

 _ **Nearby...**_

Gladiolus was almost to the spot where he'd left Tulip. The badger had slowed him down some, but he still made good time. He was nearing the clearing where Tulip was supposed to be, when he heard nearby voices. Already, he began to guess that Tulip wouldn't be where he left her.

Dragging the badger, he went to check anyway. He wasn't worried about her. He just didn't like the idea of _his_ sister being near creatures he would normally kill on sight. It was the male instinct to keep his flock away from others. Turns out, he was affected by it just as much as the other male cubs.

When he arrived at the clearing, he wasn't surprised to see that Tulip was no where to be seen. Growling, he turned and began walking towards the voices...

* * *

Flaw shrank bat slightly at Laramir's snapped reply not to use her nick name anymore. He swallowed nervously and nodded, ignoring how Lock growled lowly in his throat at the fact Laramir made Flaw cringe. Green eyes met purple and Lock snorted, rolled his eyes and looked away, now intent on ignoring Laramir until they were properly introduced. Flaw started walking next to the two, Lock following a few steps behind in a sulking manner. He turned and looked behind him, watching the other chicks coming up from behind, the cub let out a soft sigh as he followed the small griffin and his two, newly reunited friends.

* * *

Frosti watched the chicks from a shadowed corner of the trees. She heard the last bats shriek as Flasher put an end to each of their lives. Sadly, she turned and padded away, her head hanging low. _Now they all hate me._ She had no idea why she still had to follow them anymore. After all, what was she there for?

 _I should have led the bats away from them, not to them._

But then, she had heard the shrieks of pleasure from the bats as the two chicks came into view. Neither of the young griffins had seen them coming, and the bats weren't only after _her_. They were after every living griffin to walk the land and soar the sky.

It was one of the hunter's terrible ambitions to force all the world's griffins to their death, and the bats were one of the reasons her kind had nearly gone extinct. The hunter wanted her in particular, because of her strange, unstable powers. His greed was the very reason she had been orphaned by herself in the horrendous truth of reality. His greed, and the work of the bats. She flexed her talons in fury at this fact.

 _I will have my revenge on the death of my family, and all the other lost souls you have crushed and destroyed in your short, miserable life, Hunter. I will hunt you down, and GET YOU!_

* * *

Tulip panicked. She hadn't expected them to ask her to stay with them! She backed up, clearly against the idea.

"N-no! Th-that's fine. I don't... I-I don't need to be with a group. I'm... I'm better off on my o-own..." she stuttered terribly. "B-besides... I don't want to be a burden... I'm not good at hunting... a-and I whine constantly... a-and, and-"

"How do you know that you whine constantly if you have no one to whine to?" Flocke asked suspiciously. He was usually good at noticing the little details in someone's words.

Tulip whipped her head to him, shocked and caught. She had no reply. No answer that would suffice. She watched Flocke as he glared softly at her, before she finally lowered her head in shame.

"I... I have a... a brother..." she finally said quietly.

* * *

Skah led the motley group away from the battle scene. The going was slow, as they were all tired from their exertions. Skah constantly stopped and waited for Larimar to catch up and catch what little of her breath she could. He was making for the river that would lead onto their den. The river would be a good place to cool off a bit and wash some of the blood and other debris from their bodies.

Skah eyed Longlock carefully. It was clear that he and Flaw were quite close, but Skah couldn't glean much from that as he didn't know much about Flaw in the first place. During one of their brief stops he fronted up to Longlock. "I'm Skah", he said shortly. "How'd you end up with Flaw?" he probed.

Meanwhile Ghost watched Tulip treat Flocke with mild concern. The use of plants to help them was completely foreign to her as well. When it soon became evident that they were helping Flocke, she became less worried. She half-expected Flocke or Shiny to ask Tulip to join them, so when they did it came as no surprise to her. It did however surprise her that Tulip refused. Ghost's thoughts echoed Flocke's in regard to her ability to live alone. Her thoughts raced as Tulip revealed that she had a brother, but her mind couldn't connect why this would change anything.

"Why does having a brother stop you from joining us?" she asked, completely oblivous to the position she was putting Tulip in.

* * *

"Well, why didn't you tell us that? You're _sooooo_ lucky! I wish I had a brother." Shiny wasn't the least bit suspicious of Tulip anymore. She had helped them out, so he automatically trusted her now. Maybe her brother was just shy, and he didn't want to meet other griffins. "Flocke and Skah are like my older brothers," he said hastily. "Sometimes...sometimes I just sort of want someone who's the same age and has the same mommy..."

He felt bad for saying that, but it was the truth. He knew he used to have siblings. He used to talk to them in his egg. Then they went away with his mother on the night of that big noise. Shiny shuddered at the distant memory.

* * *

When Flocke heard what Shiny said, he couldn't blame the younger cub for feeling the way he did. Flocke often felt the same way- wanting a sibling that was like him; whom he could share everything with. But he knew that nest he found, which held broken eggs that looked like his own- where he found his mother's feather- was the place where his siblings had been destroyed.

But Flocke kept his chin up. He, like Shiny, did his best to view the others as his siblings. Which was easy, given Flocke's character. He could probably, easily, accept Tulip as a sister if she joined them.

"Can't he join too?" Flocke asked her, not understanding what was wrong with having a brother.

Meanwhile, Tulip was feeling horrible. She couldn't tell them- they'd hate her! But, at the same time, Tulip couldn't help the strange feeling of belonging. She couldn't help the want in her gut that begged her to say yes.

But she couldn't...

She was about to tell them straight out, when, to her utter horror, someone walked through the bushes where she had first come from.

Gladiolus looked terrifying- He was covered in blood, with beady red eyes, and a giant, freshly dead badger being dragged from his beak. Even Tulip, who was used to seeing him covered in blood, couldn't help the terrified shiver that ran down her spine.

Gladiolus eyed the scene cruelly. His sister, a female cub, a young male cub, and an injured male cub were all sitting together, as if talking. He noticed Tulip's scared gaze, and smirked. Dropping the badger from his beak, he walked over to Tulip calmly, smirking the whole way.

"Sister. Who are your new friends?" he asked her with a sickening sweet tone. "I would have brought more food." Tulip shrank back instantly, a trembling smile on her beak. She laughed warily, hating what was happening.

"I uh... I didn't know I'd be meeting them... A-and I wouldn't say they're my _friends_... just... just acquaintances. Yeah, that's it. I-I was planning on sending them away when Flocke was better." she told him, scared that any word she said could be a trigger for him to hurt someone. Gladiolus just smiled a fake, sad smile.

"Oh? You'd send them off without them meeting me?" he waited for her to respond, but she just lowered her head in shame. He smiled inwardly to himself. "Well... at the very least, introduce me." he told her. (Though it was a demand in her ears.)

"The, uh, injured one is Flocke. The other male is S-shiny... and the female is... Ghost." she said quietly.

"Aren't you going to tell them who I am?" he asked her; loving the tormented position she was in. Doing her best not to glare at the floor, she did as told.

"Everyone, this... this is my brother. G-gladiolus..." she finished before trying to shrink as much as possible.

"Or Gladi, for short," Gladiolus continued. "It's nice to meet you." His voice was cruelly charming, and held anything _but_ good greetings.


	67. - - Part V, Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

Lock eyed the Griffin who stood in front of him, though not in s challenging manner, Lock still felt irritated at the effect. "My name is Longlock." He didn't give him the option of a nick name just yet. "I found him in winter." Was all he said. He knew Flaw trusted these Griffins, but he had just met them and just because Flaw did something didn't mean he would foo the same. It was quite obvious he was wary around these new strangers, regardless of how nice they were.

* * *

Shiny frowned. He noticed how shy and awkward Tulip had become. She seemed...scared. That wasn't how he thought siblings were supposed to act around each other. He almost couldn't blame her. Gladiolus was terrifying. His bloody feathers, piercing stare, and powerful build made Shiny duck his head in a sign of submission and fear. _He's her brother_ , he said to himself. _He can't be that bad._

While Gladiolus's words were pleasant, his voice had a dark, unsavory tone. _Is he mad at her?_ Even Shiny, the most naïve and trusting of them all, was immediately put off by the cold look in his crimson eyes. Shiny averted his dark brown ones. _Don't be impolite..._

"Hi," he chirped softly. His gaze shifted around, settling on his feet, on Tulip, on anything but the cub's bloodstained face. "Uh, what'd you catch? It...it looks...good." His voice dwindled, turning to a nervous squeak at the end.

* * *

Frosti watched as the others began to move towards the small clearing. Slowly, she crept forward like a tiger, she was in no mood to spark her new friends' suspicions again.

The young magician began to call on her powers to conceal herself in mist, and sent it rolling towards the clearing like a wave of pure, white snow. She was not quite sure why she did this. Slowly but surely, the air began to become cold and damp, and a soft draft of wind ruffled the feathers on her back.

She smiled to herself, playing with magic always made her feel safer, and mist was easy to hide in.

 _Why does that clearing give me the creeps? There is something bad hiding there, I can feel it's spirit eying the others like tasty morsels._

* * *

Gladiolus snapped his head towards the small male. When he saw Shiny's submissive and scared stature, he grinned to himself.

"What? This thing?" he asked with false innocence. "It's a badger- one of the meanest things you could ever find out here. It's strong too. Why... it would rip a cub like you apart." he leaned in towards Shiny, a menacing spark in his gaze. "You wouldn't be much of a challenge for it..."

Noticing Ghost, he turned to look at her. He could see clearly that she was both strong, and brave. But she was just a female- hardly worth noticing at the moment. Ghost, and that other female he saw in the clearing, were the only females he's even come close to considering as opponents.

' _But the only female I want to fight someday, will be that hen._ ' he thought, dreaming of a future where he could take Flasher on. A tough battle, but he could do it. He just needed to know her weak point...

Tulip tried to tune it all out. She knew where Gladiolus was going with his words. If Shiny wasn't a match for the badger, no way would he be a match for Gladiolus; she knew that went for the others as well. Looking anywhere but the scene in front of her, she willed herself to forget about the three cubs that she might have called friends.

Flocke didn't like Gladiolus. He started off being scared of the older male, and the thought that Gladi could kill such a big predator all alone made him feel like he should respect him to some degree. But, as said before, he could hear the little details. This male was dangerous. It all added up, the moment he realized it. Tulip lying, and saying she was alone; Her scared expression the moment Gladiolus arrived; The way the male spoke to them... There was just something... not right, about Gladiolus.

But, for the life of him, Flocke couldn't find the courage to say anything.

' _He's dangerous. He might even want to hurt us..._ ' Flocke thought, scared. He chanced a glance to Tulip, only to see her looking away. However, she must have felt him staring, because she took a timid glance at him. She saw his uncertainty- that he knew. She gave him a regretful and apologetic look, before looking away again. That was all Flocke needed.

He quickly assessed how his arm was. Deciding that he could walk, he stood up. He ignored the pain and, more importantly, he ignored his fear. Gladiolus could hurt him- and that terrified him- but he could also hurt Flocke's friends, and that was something the blue-eyed male would not allow. He raised his hackles, and stood as tall as he could get. He was no where near as menacing and domineering as Gladiolus, but it was enough to let the others know that they were in a bad situation.

Gladiolus watched as he did this, amused.

' _Such a small cub actually thinks he can intimidate me?_ ' he dropped his smile, and all charm left his face. ' _Looks like he figured me out._ ' Quickly, he raised his own hackles, and suddenly growled at the younger male, a crazed look in his eyes as he grinned insanely. ' _I shouldn't let him play this game alone..._ '

* * *

Skah merely nodded. It was plain to him that Longlock was wary of him and the others. Somehow it was pleasing for Skah. He actually felt a familiarity with the other male. A sense that they were like minded. "I'd be glad if you'd join us", he said simply. And he meant it sincerely.

Ghost eyed Gladi warily, he felt dangerous from the moment he had entered her sight. There was an almost maniacal glow in his eyes. She didn't like it or him one bit. But she didn't act on her impulse directly, for if he was as dangerous as she though there was no knowing what he would do. She kept to Flockes side, as he was the most vulnerable out of them all. Tulip may have been innocently charming, but Gladi was the complete opposite. Suddenly it dawned on Ghost how someone so innocent couod have survived so long. But she worried what Gladis effect had been and was on his sister. She kept all of her thoughts masked, not speaking a word. But she did meet Gladis gaze fearlessly.

Her heart lifted a little when Flocke stood, but then it fell just as quickly when he so dirrctly challenged Gladi. She who had trained him knew that he wasn't cable of taking down Skah without help, knee that this male would be near impossible for Flocke to best. Even with her help and Shinys she doubted they could defeat him. It rested with Tulip her quick mind cam to the conclusion. If Tulip joined with Gladi they would be done for. If Tulip joined with them yhey would posibly be able to drive off the dangerous male. Ghost was convinced now that he was dangerous, unspeakably dangerous. The way his eyes lit up in that demonical way. Her muscles tensed up, ready to move a slightest cue.

* * *

Suddenly, Flasher saw a white speck lying across the leafy ground. With a growing sense of dread, she crept over to the body and rolled it over. _Oh no...HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!  
_  
She scooped up the limp figure of the young griffin, and slowly lifted her gaze. Then she saw it, perched on a cliff and glaring hungrily at the winged figure. Then Flasher realised that the creature hadn't seen her under the leafy canopy, it was gazing at _the clearing_. Then she remembered the chicks. She slumped Frosti into her knapsack and ran, full speed towards the clearing, shrieking in alarm.

* * *

"I...uh...o-oh...okay..." Shiny backed up a little, his whole body visibly shaking now. He didn't know how to respond to Gladi. Another griffin was threatening him. Not just intimidating him or making him feel inferior. Another griffin was threatening him with death. This was completely new to Shiny. He had always associated other griffins with kindness and friendship. They were his species; he belonged with them. He looked up into those murderous eyes and saw no compassion or friendliness in them. All he saw was hatred and death.

Shiny felt himself shutting down, his whole body freezing up in fear. He took a few more steps back until his wing was brushing Ghost's. Her warmth gave him a small surge of confidence. His big sister and brother were still beside him. Even if Flocke and Ghost were not related to him by the same mother, they were now family all the same, and in his moment of fear he was able to see them as this. He forgot his longing for one who shared his blood. He had his flock. His flockmates had always stuck up for him. Now he should be sticking up for them too!

He felt his heart leap when Flocke stood up. He felt proud of Flocke for doing that and ashamed of himself for cowering. The braver, tougher 'male' part that was still maturing within him started pushing him to act now. It was a natural keythong instinct to protect his flock. He saw Ghost tense up as Gladiolus shed his thin mask of sanity. That growl petrified Shiny.

 _No. You're not a baby anymore._ "Hey," he snarled in a small, scared voice. "D-don't be m-m-mean to Flocke!" He fluffed up his hackles and raised his head.

* * *

Flocke felt loads better when Shiny stood up against Gladiolus with him. Noticing Ghost tense, he felt better knowing they were all on the same page now.

' _But we still can't beat him..._ ' the negative, insecure part of him thought.

' _We have to try!_ ' he corrected himself. But even with brave thoughts, he knew this was a losing battle. They couldn't win- they'd need a miracle.

Gladiolus was even more amused now than he was before. When Shiny's hackles raised, he couldn't help but laugh darkly. Shiny's words just made Gladiolus' confidence boost- these cubs were obviously scared of him, and what he could do.

' _Strange though... They usually run by now..._ ' he thought with interest. ' _Such bravery is idiotic. They know they can't win, yet they still try. It's a pity they aren't like me- they could've been useful._ ' He began stalking forward then. He'd take Flocke out first. The one that figured him out fastest. Ghost would be next, for she was the biggest, and could deal more damage if left alone long enough. Shiny would be last. After his friends were dead, Gladiolus would gloat- maybe play a bit of Cat and Mouse- then he's kill Shiny, bit by agonizing bit. A low growl found its way to the back of his throat as he got closer.

But then... a light brown pelt, and a flash of orange flew across his vision. When he took a second look, Tulip was standing there in front of him. Her hackles were raised, and she was growling shakily at him. Gladiolus stopped immediately, and looked at her crossly.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, obviously angry at her, but trying to hide it nonetheless. Tulip stood straighter, glaring back at her brother.

"I-... I'm protecting my friends." she said with certainty. "Friends"... that felt nice on her tongue. "I won't let you hurt them!" she yelled. Gladiolus scoffed.

"Really? What about all of the other cubs?! You didn't help them!" he yelled back, knowing exactly what his words would do to her. Tulip ducked in momentary shame, before bring her head back up just as quickly.

"I know! ...I know... But..." she glanced back at the three behind her. "But... I want to help them. I want to make up for all of the things I've let you do..." she admitted quietly. She couldn't take letting Gladi get away with everything anymore. Once, she had promised herself that she'd never get attached- but she did. The three cubs behind her weren't just three cubs anymore. They had names, and friendships, and a life...They were everything she wished she had. For once in her life, she felt like she could stand up for something that wasn't herself.

"Aww~ You finally went soft. It's strange Tulip- I didn't hear you complaining when I was feeding you." he said cruelly, and Tulip's gut twisted. "All that work I did to catch other chicks, and to feed _you_. I didn't once hear you say, 'No thanks'."

"That's because that's all we had! I had no choice but to eat what you brought me!"

"But you still could have said no. The first time- you said nothing." he was getting to her.

"I couldn't just say no to you!" she yelled at him, silently begging for him to shut up. "I would have starved!"

"Exactly! You would have starved without me! So how do you repay me? By staying quiet and letting me do my thing!" he growled at her and moved towards her menacingly. But, surprisingly, she stood her ground. They were nearly touching beaks as they glared at one another. A few tense moments passed by.

Strangely enough, Gladiolus was the one to back off. He did so with a huff.

"Fine." he relented. "Tell your ' _friends_ ' to go, before I change my mind." He then sat, and simply watched them.

Tulip slowly turned to the others. She locked eyes with Flocke for a moment, before looking down. Flocke had calmed down when Tulip intervened, so he was now sitting.

"You guys should go." Tulip said quietly; not looking at them.

"What about you?" Flocke asked.

"Just go!" she snapped, and Flocke flinched. He didn't want to leave. Something in his gut told him it would be horrible if he left her here. But a quick glance at his other two friends told him that he needed to make the tough decision. He didn't like making decisions... he suddenly wished it was Skah here, instead of him. Skah could handle this ten times better than Flocke could- the blue-eyed male just knew it.

With a sigh, Flocke stood and slowly began to walk away. He never stopped watching Gladiolus, who simply stared at him- a lazy smile spread across his face.

"Come on guys..." he said quietly to the others, before exciting through some bushes.

Tulip watched as he left, then turned to her brother, to make sure he stayed where he was. She knew this wouldn't end well for her, but she'd be damned if she couldn't help her friends in the process.


	68. - - Part V, Chapter 58

**Chapter 58**

Flasher eventually laid Frosti out on the ground, and tried to counteract the curse sent by the monster, just she saw the chicks scampering from the clearing for their lives. They were fleeing so fast that their little paws were a blur of motion as they fled towards her. She immediately began to call on her powers.

"What's wrong? Why are you so scared? You guys look like you've you've just seen a three headed bear!" she cried, keeping her voice as calm as possible. She was very relieved that they were finally out of the gaze of the monster.

"Come here, I'm sure you'll be safe!" Flasher called, spreading her wings protectively.

* * *

Ghost kept calm during the whole exchange, at least she kept a calm exterior. Inside she was raging that this abomination would threaten her friends and her so. She silently cheering for Tulip when she stood up for them, but not just them, she felt she was standing up for herself. But it worried Ghost at what cost Tulip was deflecting Gladi's rage from them. As Flocke turned and made his way from the clearing, Ghost tried to make eye contact with Tulip, she didn't want to speak directly incase she broke the fragile truce she had brokered for them. Silently she sent her thanks to the brave little female. _I will help you one day_ she vowed to her before she turned and followed Flocke out of the clearing.

Skah turned back to Larimar who had been catching her breath during their exchange. "Its not far now, then you can rest" he told her before he pushed his way back through the forest. He could hear the sounds of the river now. AS he walked he contemplated the mornings events. SO much had changed for him during the day. They reached the river then, but instead of making his way out into the open he looked skyward. His eyes scanned for any black specks, the mornings events had raised a new awareness in him.

* * *

Flaw was happy in the way Skah and Lock had given either a silent respect for one another, and the little cub purred happily at Skah's declaration of having Lock be part of the flock. The cub bounced happily and nudged Lock, who looked at him and rolled his eyes before he started to follow the other male.

* * *

"You guys okay?" asked Flasher, loping towards them. "I saw you guys going towards the clearing, but I was too far away to get there before you did. I was coming to see if you needed some help, but then you came out again. You seem relieved to get out of there. Tell me what happened, please."

Secretly, she watched the creature that had been eying the chicks out of the corner of her eye, determined not to scare her companions by letting them know of it. The manticore was not there anymore. It had hidden itself, and was in no doubt, stalking them and waiting for the right moment to attack.

* * *

Larimar nodded weakly as Skah spoke, only hearing about half of what he said. _Rest._ Rest would be good. Rest would heal her side. She knew she needed a lot of it. Her thoughts were beginning to blur again, but she forced herself to concentrate. Was that the river she heard up ahead? The promise of a cold, cleansing release gave her enough energy to stumble past the rest of the group toward the water.

She waded into the shallowest part, relaxing slightly as the blood and mud was washed from her coat. Breathing was still painful, but submerging her other wounds made her feel a lot better. In her relief, she completely forgot about staying alert. While the other cubs were still on the look out for danger, she was right in the open, enjoying herself without a single care for what might identify her as easy prey...

Flasher came up to them, startling Larimar out of her blissful unawareness. Larimar was too tired and hurt to be wary of the stranger. She paused, her listless emerald eyes wandering about before coming into focus on the striped hen's face. She was too exhausted to reply, so she merely listened to Flasher's request and waited for another cub to answer.

The manticore's fierce, pale eyes watched them from behind its clever disguise. It didn't strike. Not yet. The cream-colored female cub seemed unaware of it, but it would have to catch the others off guard as well. Especially the tiger hen. She was the only adult in the group and the only one that would stand a chance against it.

* * *

"You look hurt. Shall I bandage your wound for you?" Flasher carefully unrolled a strip of cloth from her knapsack and began to clean it. "Where are all the others?"

* * *

Shiny followed his friends away from the two siblings. Though he was relieved that they were getting away from that crazy, badger-killing cub, he also felt a little sad. They had just lost an opportunity to make a new friend. _Tulip was nice. I wish she could have joined us._ He admired her bravery to stand up to her brother for them. She had seemed so small and breakable compared to Gladiolus, but it was clear to Shiny that her immense courage made her far from that. How could he ever hope to repay her? Shiny's head lowered in shame. He couldn't bear to look back. The sight of Tulip would just make him feel guilty and Gladiolus would scare him out of his wits.

 _Okay, focus._ He pushed back his regrets. They had to get moving, in case Gladiolus changed his mind and decided to come after them anyway. "Do you know where the others are?" he asked his friends. Lost in the heat of the battle, he hadn't even thought about how he was going to get back to the rest of the cubs.

* * *

"We should check the clearing where they were fighting first. If they're not there, we'll go back to the stream where we started out this morning. And if we still can't find them, we can just sleep there, and continue looking tomorrow." Flocke said quietly. He was starting to feel a bit hollow. The idea of leaving someone behind wasn't something that fit to his character; The fact that he was leaving someone behind, in all truth, was making him feel numb. He didn't like the thought of not being able to help someone. Someone who had helped _him.  
_  
Logic told him it would only be worse if they tried to help, but his emotions were in turmoil. He tried to wrap his head around all of it, but it was tearing him apart. With a final shiver, he looked ahead and continued forward.

* * *

Tulip waited until the three were gone, before looking up at her brother. He wasn't smiling anymore. She went to say something, when he stood up, turned, and walked further into the forest. Tulip, afraid of going after him, but also too afraid to stay were she was, reluctantly trotted after him. She followed him from three feet away, slowly beginning to regret everything she had just done.

What happened to everything she had been taught? All the things she knew Gladiolus would get upset about, seemed to fly the coop when she met those three cubs. She felt braver than she had ever felt before. She could say and do anything suddenly, because she felt... safe. For once in her life, Tulip had felt truly safe.

And now she regretted it completely.

"So..." she heard Gladiolus speak. She immediately came to attention- afraid of upsetting him further. "Do you have anything to say?" he asked quietly- warning. One false word was all it would take.

"I-I'm sorry." she said quietly. Terrified.

"Why?" If she could, Tulip would have paled. He wanted her to explain herself? How on earth could she do that without angering him?! She whimpered, half expecting him to lunge at her for that alone. Instead, he continued forward- waiting. "Well?"

"I-I wasn't... I wasn't supposed to... to help them." she suffered out. The world around her was growing dark, and she could feel the intense aura surrounding her brother.

"And why not?" She whimpered again, and tears were beginning to form.

"Because we don't help others. We take care of ourselves, and don't let anyone get in our way." It was something he always said to her, but she had never repeated it. It felt wrong on her tongue.

"Why do I not let anyone stand in my way?" he asked, leaving out the "we" on purpose. Tulip shook with absolute fear.

"Because they'll kill you if you don't." she strangled out.

"So I kill them first. Very good..." he said simply, never once looking at her. A moment passes, and Tulip begins to think she said everything right. That he'll leave her alone.

But then, she's knocked to the ground, and held there. Gladiolus looms over her- a silhouette against the light filtering through the tree tops. His expression is ugly with anger and hatred- not a smile in sight. His eyes aren't amused in the slightest, and seem to show his inner demon. Tulip's eyes widen as she gawks in terror. She's shaking horribly at the thought of what he's going to do to her.

"Tell me, Tulip: If you can remember all of that..." he presses his paw into her throat, cutting off her air supply. " _Then why did you go against every word of it!_ " he stressed angrily. Tulip clawed at his arms, trying desperately to get away.

"- _ease... Pl-... P-... -ease..._ " she tried to beg, but he only pressed harder; a maniacal look in his eye. She was beginning to falter, and her world was going dark, when suddenly, the pressure was gone.

Tulip took a deep breath of air, before coughing in relief and rolling back over onto her stomach. Gladiolus stood back, watching her- his anger was not gone.

"You're weak. The only thing you have going for you so far is luck. I can't kill you. My instincts won't let me- not yet anyway..." he looked at her then, thoughtfully. She watched him, wondering what it was he'd do. If he couldn't kill, then what? "But... I think my instincts will forgive me for hurting you. It will- after all- be a punishment." he said with a sudden smile.

All Tulip registered after that, was how fast he moved and the excruciating pain that was coming from her right wing. She certainly didn't feel very lucky…


	69. - - Part V, Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

Ghost gently shouldered her way past Flocke taking the lead. Quietly she answered Shiny, "Skah would have taken them back to the den". Her voice was listless, she felt so flat and empty after their adventures in the morning culminating in their encounter with Gladi and Tulip. And that was it, she did not feel good about leaving Tulip behind.

She was such a gentle, kind-hearted soul, but she spent her days following after her devilish brother. What it must be doing to her agonized Ghost. She had seen the way the Tulip looked at Gladi, it was fear and pity. After all they were siblings. Ghost resolved that the next time they encountered she wouldn't be leaving Tulip behind, but she wouldn't make it any harder to Tulip either. She turned to Flocke who was similarly despondent. "We will help her Flocke, but we can't do it today."

Feeling slightly more upbeat she turned and continued away from the clearing until they reached their den. Ghost's thought was for food, but they had none stashed away and frankly she didn't have the energy to go hunting. Instead she headed down to the river where she promptly splashed in. She washed the days events from her body, dirt and blood drifted away from her. Once she had finished she perched herself in the sun to dry, on the large flat rocks that bordered this part of the river. She didn't sleep though, she watched and waited for the others to return.

* * *

Skah was satisfied that there were no bats in the area, so he turned his attention back to the ground. Larry was washing herself in the river, but she didn't look good. She needed rest, so he planned on taking her back to the den. Skah waited a few moments allowing Larry and the others to refresh by the river. His eyes never stopped moving, searching for any sign of danger. And then Flasher arrived.

Skah quickly changed from his passive self, his ears went back and his chest went out. His jaw set and a steely gaze greeted Flasher. His displeasure was evident for all to see. "Leave us", he sneered before he turned and touched Larry on the shoulder with his tail. He then walked stiffly upstream, towards their den.

* * *

Flasher did not hear him, her mind was focused on fixing up all her friend's wounds. Beside her, Frosti lay limply on the soft, silky grass. Her anxious eyes flicked back and fourth against the banks of the stream, to the cubs slowly making their way back to their den, to the cliff face where...where...where...

The manticore grinned wickedly as it noticed how the snow white cub was behaving. It's charm had worked, and the next time they met, things would end a lot differently.

 _A lot differently indeed..._

Still in the guise of the little black raven, the manticore spread it's wings and took off to where all the cubs were heading. It had never seen so many cubs in one place, let alone cubs this plump and fit. The manticore had hunted many different things in it's life; little children, bears, horses, deer, other manticore, dogs and every single bird in the forest.

Griffins were another thing, and it was already craving a taste of fresh blood after scavenging for days the bodies of farmers it had crushed. Griffins were good fighters. Griffins were tasty. Griffins were _rare.  
_  
The manticore flexed it's dagger-like talons in preparation for the killing and began to plot on how to attack it's prey. There was nothing it liked more than a bit of drama before it feasted...

* * *

Shiny followed Ghost without a sound. He didn't want to admit that he had no idea where they were or which was the den was. He took in a deep whiff of air, searching for the pungent odor of blood that his other friends now carried from their fight. When he still could not figure out which way they had gone, he tried not to worry. _Skah's leading them. He and Larry didn't look to badly hurt when I left. They'll be able to make it back.  
_  
Ghost led them back, taking Flocke's spot at the head of their little, worn out band of three. Shiny was relieved to see their little den again. Now that the survival-powered energy of the battle and the terror of meeting Gladi had left him, he felt every single one of the deep scratches and bites the bats had inflicted on him. He curled up at the mouth of the den.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Blood oozed out from some of the reopened wounds. Everything was starting to hurt like crazy. He spread his wings to examine them. Since he had kept them furled most of the time, the damage wasn't too bad. Just a few missing feathers and some small wounds. That was more than what could said for the rest of his body, though.

 _Where could Skah and Larry be?_ he wondered. _What about Dracellis, Neo, and Aqaurius? What about Flaw and his friend? What if something else was drawn to the bats and attacked them all? They might be too tired to defend themselves. What if...what if Gladiolus found them?_ No matter how he tried, he could not stop worrying about them. Worry for another friend seeped into his thoughts. _What about Tulip? What if Gladi decides to attack her instead...  
_  
Despite all his troubles, his body was starting to shut down. He'd had a long, eventful day. He started to worry about himself instead. _What if I get sick like Flocke?_

Confident in Ghost's ability to spot their returning friends, he settled down and tried to take a short nap. Even his concern for his friends couldn't keep his tired eyes from shutting. He was, after all, a child, and no matter what Larimar said about that, he couldn't go on like an adult forever.

* * *

Flocke was actually quite happy that Ghost took the lead. He currently didn't trust himself to be in front. He followed her quietly, never really looking up from the ground he tread upon.

The day's tolls were finally catching up to him, making him tired and sore all over. The pain in his leg was now a whisper thanks to Tulip- but the thought of her made him choke, so he did his best to not let his mind stray in her direction.

When they finally reached their den, he followed Ghost's lead and washed off. He didn't do much though- just walked in and stood for a bit; letting the stream carry away the blood and dirt of the day. When he left the water, he took out his mother's feather. The sight of it calmed him instantly, and brought a sad smile to his face. Even in death, his mother helped him stay sane.

Gently, he began to clean it. He took a while to do this- making sure every bit of it was the same pure white as the day before- so when he looked up from his finished work, Shiny was already fast asleep. The sight of the sleeping cub reminded Flocke of how tired he really was.

After putting his feather back under his wing, Flocke slowly walked over to Shiny's sleeping form. He went behind him and lay down- curling up into his younger friend's side. At least, in his dreams, he could forget about today.

But nightmares are something you can't run away from...

* * *

Lock watched the exchange between the large hen and the young leader, Skah. He could understand the male's concern and his attitude, he himself didn't trust the large hen, or the cub she carried... Hell, he didn't trust anyone there besides Flaw but that was besides the point. Purple eyes met green for a moment before he turned to the male as he tried to get the injured cub up to her feet and moving again.

Flaw cast a glance at the large hen and the small cub she was trying to do something with whatever it was that she held in her claws. It looked almost like animal hide but he couldn't be sure. He cast a glance at Lock, who was focusing on Skah before he warily crept closer to the large hen before speaking quietly in a very timid voice. "I-if you put honey in the wound, it helps stop infections..." He turned and ran back to Lock's side, glancing back at the large hen as the two trotted after Skah.

Lock spoke up as he followed the male. "So where exactly are you leading us?" He asked, his tone wasn't cold, but it wasn't exactly inviting either. It was saying I'll follow you for now, but that doesn't mean I trust you.

* * *

Larimar took a step back as Flasher started trying to bandage her wounds. The soft, foreign material the gray hen was taking out smelled...off to her. Though it was heavily masked by Flasher's scent, she detected another peculiar smell. She couldn't quite place it, for she had never seen a human before and had only the vaguest recollection of the same scent around the old nesting site. It made her cautious. _Bandage?_ she wondered. She'd helped her friends wrap up wounds before, but they used natural materials like leaves, not this weird fabric.

Before she could ask about it, Skah came over. She noticed the return of his hostile mannerisms before he even spoke. While she did not agree with it, she understood his aggression toward Flasher. They knew so little about the adult griffin, and Skah had never seemed like he would be too keen on letting another griffin take control of the flock.

Larimar shook off Flasher's claws as the hen tried to help with her injuries. A vicious spike of pain shot through her at the sudden movement. She gasped for air that she just couldn't take in, her heavier breaths only making things worse. She didn't want to walk anymore. She could hardly even bear the pain of standing. In a daze, Larimar looked from Skah to Flasher and back to Skah. She _wanted_ to trust the hen; she really did, but her deep affection and loyalty for Matoskah won over in the end.

She climbed out of the water after her friends. Before she began following the three males, she stole one last look at the white cub next to Flasher. "Frosti's going to be okay, right?" she said in an uncharacteristically small, shy voice. She started after Skah, her breaths still labored but now at a more steady pace. As she hobbled along, she continued to look back over her shoulder at the two of them with a mixture of pain and suppressed regret.

* * *

Skah didn't break stride once as he answered Lock, "Not far, just a place where we can rest and regroup". He spoke, as usual, only what was necessary as he continued on in silence. He could hear Larimar's labored breathing behind him. He let his mind go blank, forgetting Flasher and Frosti and the danger they presented to the group. It was only then that he realised the ever present ache in from his old injury on his leg was more intense than normal. His leg began to tighten, shortening his stride. This brought other small nicks and scratches back to his mind. The scratch down his shoulder and across his face, a bite on his rump, a tuft of fur missing from his tail. But nothing stopped him from marching onward.

They rounded a bend in the river, at which point Ghost and then the others came into view. Ghost sat atop the flat rocks that bordered the river. She appeared unhurt, and strangely calm. He glance over to Shiny and Flocke, curled up asleep. A slight sense of relief that they were okay flared across his emotions before dying down again. His eyes met with Ghosts briefly, a silent acknowledgement, before he splashed into the river and began bathing his wounds.


	70. - - Part V, Chapter 60

**Chapter 60**

Ghost waited patiently from her vantage point. She saw Shiny and Flocke curl up to rest, but she kept her silent vigil. While she waited, she thought about the flock, their present and their future. She was happy with their little flock - how they worked together and how she sat in their group. But she felt that something was amiss. It made her feel restless, but that was something that had always been normal for her.

Ghost glanced skyward, the sun had begun to dip below the tree line. Darkness would soon descend upon them. A thrill of excitement stirred within her, for the twilight hours were her hours, as they had always been. It was then that a stir of movement downstream caught her eye. Skah came into view.

He looked tired, his old limp had begun again. His eyes met hers, the brief moment of communication, before she glanced at the others trailing into their camp. Flaw and his new friend looked relatively unhurt. Larimar was a different story. Ghost saw her stumbling forward like she was half dead. The sight alarmed her, she jumped down from her perch, passing Skah as he splashed into the river.

* * *

' _ **Flocke was sleeping restlessly. A nightmare of blood red eyes, and terrified orange ones plagued his mind. First, it was of being pinned down, claws tearing into his chest and ripping out his heart. Somehow, though, that wasn't what upset him the most. It was after that- after he was stuck in Limbo for a few relieving moments. It was when he saw Tulip from a distance, being chased down by her brother, who had flames in his eyes.**_

 _ **Flocke tried to move- to chase after her; save her somehow- maybe he could take her place. After all, he felt like she was so much more important, and to be slain by ones own brother was a terrible fate.**_

 _ **But he couldn't move! Whenever he tried, his feet stuck like magnets to the ground. All he could do was watch as Gladiolus inched closer and closer to the female cub. Suddenly, Tulip tripped- it was all over. She turned back just in time to see Gladi lunge for her, before red covered the black field they were in.**_

 _ **A horrible splash of blood flew across the ground as Flocke screamed something unintelligible-'**_

"Ah-!" Flocke yelped as he came too. He took deep breaths, trying to understand what he had just dreamt about. However, the dream left his memory faster than a cat from water. As he let reality sink in, he finally noticed that Skah and the others had come back.

A new found energy burst forward at the sight of his (albeit injured) friends, and he immediately leaped forward.

"You're back! Are you guys okay? What happened?" Then he spotted Flaw. "Flaw!" he exclaimed happily, racing over to hug his old friend. "Where have you been?! I missed you SO much! You won't believe all that's happened since you've been gone-! Wait- Whose your friend?" Flocke didn't even take a breath until the end, when he saw Longlock. He cocked his head slightly in curiosity, before deciding to introduce himself.

"Hi! I'm Flocke!" he said happily, before giving Lock his giant, cavity-worthy, sweet and innocent smile. "What's your name?"

* * *

"Don't worry, your wounds would soon go away..." Flasher called as she tied the last of the rags around Larimar's sore limbs. "I'll attend to her in a second..." She stood back as the little cream cub began to struggle to her paws and join the rest of her friends. She raised her great beak and stared up at the sky, watching for danger.

Nothing was there except for an old raven soaring in circles above them, obviously looking for a meal.

The young teenager sat back on her muscular haunches, and shook the snow white cub till she woke up. "Wha..." muttered Frosti as she slowly came to consciousness. "How are the others coping?"

"They're totally fine." whispered Flasher, pressing her foreclaw to the cub's fevered forehead. "Unlike you."

Frosti groaned as she tried to get up. Quickly, Flasher pressed her down onto the wool blanket again. "You're not strong enough for that. Try and get some rest as I fix your friends' injuries. You weren't the only the bats were after."

With a sigh of submission, Frosti lay back down on the thick, black wool and shut her eyes. Flasher took this as an opportunity to leave the young magician and let herself have a short stroll around the base. As she passed by the hole in the ground the cubs called their 'den', Flasher decided that to give them a REAL home, she would build a large cabin on the outskirts of their camp. That burrow would be too small for her, and could collapse under pressure!

As she began to look for a suitable spot near the shade of the woods to build the permanent shelter, she began to gather sticks and stones for the job. When she had finished, she was SURE that her kindness would have gained the cubs' trust.

* * *

The loss of Flocke's warmth startled Shiny back into the waking world. For a moment he thought his mind might still be caught in half a dream. No, he realized with a giddy rush of joy, this this had to be real. His friends were back! He sat up with a jubilant cry. "They're back!"

He raced toward them as fast as his stiff, overworked legs could carry him. Along with Skah, Larry, and Flaw, he noticed there was also another male he had only briefly glimpsed with Flaw during the fight. He smiled, hoping to be welcoming, but he had to make sure his other friends were okay before he could begin introductions.

"Did you guys fight off all the bats?" he eagerly asked Skah. "Who was that gray griffin with us? Where's Frosti?" He noticed Skah's limp and his expression changed from curiosity to concern. "Did one of them get your leg?"

He watched Larimar break away from the rest of the group and head toward where he had been napping in the den. She gave Flocke and irritated glance and looked briefly to Ghost before struggling to the back of the den. She slumped down with a painful grunt and didn't get back up. Shiny frowned. Deciding it was best not to bother her, he turned back to the other cubs. "You guys are all okay, right?"

* * *

Flaw made a noise of happiness and surprise as Flocke came over and hugged him, and the small cub happily hugged back. "Flocke! I missed you!" He smiled happily and watched as lock introduced himself

Longlock looked at the small cub who came b ounding over to hug Flaw. The larger if the two cubs sat with slight irritation before the cub turned to him and introduced himself. Lock studied him for a moment before speaking. "I'm Longlock."

* * *

"Longlock? That's a cool name! So, did you take care of Flaw when he was separated from us?" Flocke's happy expression turned into a serious one. "Because if you didn't, then I won't like you. He's like my brother, so I won't be happy with anyone whose mean to him." Flocke glared at Longlock for a moment, making sure Lock got the point. However, he could tell just by looking at how close they kept to one another, that Lock was at least protective of Flaw to some degree. Still, he needed to make sure his friend was safe. He wasn't going to be as trusting of strangers after...

Oh yeah... The memory of earlier hit Flocke like ton of bricks.

"Tulip..." he whispered quietly. They had left Tulip behind- with that... that demon who called himself a cub. It surprised Flocke that Gladiolus hadn't actually done anything, and yet, he still felt terror wash over him just at the thought of the bigger male.

Flocke looked down in sadness, going over everything that had happened slowly in his mind. What should they do about it? They couldn't really do anything, in all honesty. In the end, Flocke decided the only thing they could do, was avoid Gladiolus- at the expense of leaving Tulip with him.

Sighing, Flocke came to the conclusion that the others needed to know about the monster in the forest, right away. He turned to Shiny, quickly coming up with what to say.

"We just met a horrible cub..."

* * *

Lock seemed insulted at the accusation if ha rming flaw. "I would never hurt flaw!" He growled, feathers ruffling slightly in agitation. "Yes he took care of me." Flaw said while Lock brewed over the words. They both quieted when Flocke got a sad look and mumbled a w ord to himself. They exchanged glanced and at down interested in his story

* * *

Lock listened intently to the story and nodded. "Yes, the others of your flock should know about this cub, he could be trouble in the future." Lock said after a moment of thoughtful pause when the blue-eyed cub stopped talking. "Your leader, Skah right? He would be interested in knowing for certain."

Flaw nodded in response to what Lock said. "I'm glad to see you again Flocke, you'll have to tell me about what happened while I've been gone.." He flicked his tail in an eager manner.


	71. - - Part V, Chapter 61

**Chapter 61**

Flocke nodded, agreeing with Longlock about telling Skah. When Flaw said he wanted to know about what had happened while he was gone, Flocke immediately thought of one. Cheekily, he gave a sly smile.

"Ghost and I pounced Skah this morning. We got in trouble for it, but the look on his face while it was happening was priceless!" Flocke thought about the earlier events happily. "Oh! But don't tell him I told you. He might not like everyone knowing that we did that. But I had to tell you, since I kind of already told everyone else..."

Flocke looked over to the cub he was talking about. Skah didn't seem to notice them. He turned back to the other two.

"We should probably tell him now. After you?" he questioned, as he held out his claw towards Skah. Longlock seemed like he could handle Skah better than Flocke could.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Flasher had found the perfect place. It was a good half kilometer away from the cubs' original home, on the doorstep of the woods. A few years back, a freak storm had torn up part of the forest, leaving a circular clearing in which she had decided was a good place to build the cabin. She would use the fallen logs to construct the first level, and keep adding as time went on. Flasher knew that she could not build the entire cabin in one night, so she decided that she would tell the others that she would be going away for a while.

"After all, I could let them have some time getting used to Frosti. " she muttered to herself as she started back. Within a week, Flasher hoped that she could finish it.

* * *

Ghost paused as Larry made her way to the den. She decided that she couldn't help her and that space and rest would be better for her. Ghost returned to her vantage point where she could observe everyone and everything.

Skah waded out of the river and met Shiny's barrage of comments with stony silence. "Its old, nothing at all", he commented in regard to his leg. He pointedly avoided commenting on the newcomers, instead he slowly walked over to Ghost.

Uncharacteristically, he laid down just short of the peak of the rock where Ghost sat. He faced out over the rest of the group, closed his eyes to slits and observed the rest. He saw Flocke start from sleep and engage with Flaw and Lock. But he didn't think much of it, and he couldn't hear what they were saying. Quietly, he muttered only for Ghost's ears.

"I don't like them, they threaten what we have".

"What can we do though? They are here now".

"We wait, see how things progress. But we can't be lazy".

"We can't lose the others, they mean too much".

He thought on that for a moment. They 'others' did mean too much, for them to just disappear in the night as he had first thought.

"We work while we observe", he concluded. "Larimar will do as I say, Shiny and Flocke are yours. As for the others, we both take them".

Silence held for a time as they both thought on their plans, but something niggled at Ghost. That restlessness. The itch to be _somewhere_ else.

Cautiously she voiced her feelings, "I think its time we moved on anyway. Don't you feel it, like we should be somewhere else?"

Skah thought hard on her thoughts. It made sense to him, because he did feel it. But he couldn't describe it.

"But where", he breathed.

* * *

Longlock let out a soft sigh at being steered to lead the conversation with Skah. He looked over at Flaw who nodded encouragingly before he glanced at Flocke, who had a distant, sad expression on on his face, obviously deep in thought. The purple-eyed cub looked around casually to find Skah, noticing him up with a hen he had yet to be introduced to. "Why don't you talk to him? After all, you know him." Flaw shrunk back slightly. "Yeah well.. Skah is kinda scary." Lock looked at him in disbelief. "Scary? Yeah he is intimidating at times but scary?" Flaw shrugged and was pointedly looking at the ground.

Lock let out a soft sigh before he started to make his way towards the two. "Hey Skah!" He called.

* * *

"He's just not as...uh...friendly as other griffins," Shiny said, disappointed by Skah's short reply. All it did was make him even more curious about his friends' adventure. "I'm sure he'll warm up to you one day." Shiny wasn't even sure if Matoskah had warmed up to _him_ yet, but he knew the older cub had to have a good heart. Why else would he stick around to defend the flock? He wished he could be as close to Skah as he was with Flocke and Larimar.

He turned to Flaw, desperate to learn more of the details. "What happened to you and Larry, Skah, and Longlock? Are the bats gone?"

* * *

Flaw jumped I'm slight surprise at shiny taking to him. "I uh, yeah you see. We uh... chased off the remaining bats and followed Skah here.." He say down and went into detail of their fighting, or what he remembered off it. "It all happened so fast, I probably missed a lot of details." He said, hanging his head slightly.

* * *

Lock's call broke through Skah's thoughts. He slowly opened his eyes as if he hadn't been aware of anything around him. He didn't get up though; still with his head rested on his paws he grunted, "What?"

* * *

He recited what Flocke had told him. "Sounds like it could be trouble in the future. I don't know what you're planning to do with your flock next, but it might be a good idea to be cautious of this cub." He called to him, just as stubborn as Skah in not moving any closer.

* * *

Skah listened in silence. The only sign that the information disturbed him in the slightest, was a barely perceptible twitching of his tail. He was slightly angered that Ghost had not seen fit to inform him before now. But then, she like him, had probably dismissed this Gladiolus for now.

His ears twitched backwards slightly and his eyes narrowed when Lock presumed to tell him to be cautious of Gladi. He didn't need to be told to be careful; but he didn't say anything of the sort. "Thank you for telling me", he put a little too much significance on the telling me part, but none the less he meant it.

Skah decided that nothing more could be achieved now that all of the cubs attention was on him and Ghost. So he rose and leaped down from the rock landing heavily on his rear leg before continuing past the group to the den. The final rays of sunlight was filtered out as the sun dropped below the tree line.

Silently he stopped in the entrance of the den. His eyes took in 'his spot', the place where he had slept and brooded for the winter. He turned his back on it, and all that it had meant and instead laid down a short distance from Larimar. He idly observed her injuries, noticing the puncture wounds in her back.

Ghost meanwhile glanced skyward as the dark of night descended on them. Unconsciously she scratched idly at the rock beneath her with a claw. She set into a steady rhythm, the sound eerily resonating off of the rock.


	72. - - Part V, Chapter 62

**Chapter 62**

Frosti watched from behind her bush, noticing how freely and sociably the cubs seemed to communicate with each other. _Not to me._ For a moment, she wondered if she should reveal herself and correct them. What they had been saying about her pained her that the flock still thought that she was a stranger whom was not to be trusted. Her claws clenched the leaves in front of her. However, it never occurred to her that the other chicks mightn't be talking about her. After all, Frosti had never met Gladiolous and seen what a terrible cub he was...

"Hey!" a voice whispered behind her. With a gasp, Frosti spun around, and was very surprised to find a pale, cream chick with eyes like emeralds gazing upon her. For a second, she almost mistook him for Larimar, although she stopped herself from crying out in astonishment at the last second. This was a stranger. He was clearly too well fed and muscular to be one of the flock she had recently joined. _Woah, he must be a VERY good hunter to be this healthy...  
_  
"Hello," Frosti whispered back, her heart fluttering with excitement. Suddenly, she no longer felt so alone anymore. "What's your name?"

Suddenly, the cub grabbed her foreclaw, trying to drag her away, his talons digging into her flesh. "Ssshhhhhhhhhh!" he hissed. "The others will hear us!"

The young enchanter was instantly very suspicious. "I asked you what your name was! Why are you trying to lead me away?" There was something about this stranger she didn't like. She tried to break free, but he was just too strong.

The two griffins struggled through the woods. "Where are you taking me?!" gasped Frosti nervously, tugging on her foreclaw. "Shut up." she thought she heard him say. There was something keeping Frosti from lashing out at the stranger and running away.

"I didn't hear you properly, could you speak up a bit?" she whimpered.

"You heard me, SHUT UP!" snarled the stranger. His dagger-sharp talons dug into Frosti's flesh, and a thin trail of blood began to trickle down her foreleg. Frosti howled in agony. She yanked it away in horror. "Ugh..."

To her terror, the cub slowly began to _change_ before her eyes. His feathers turned to fur and scales. His eyes grew red and evil. A huge stinger sprung up from his tail. He began to grow bigger and bigger with every second. The manticore had arrived at last, and wasn't about to wait for it's next meal...

With a shriek of terror Frosti tried to run, but her legs wouldn't move. Her magic wouldn't flow. The manticore roared, and lunged at it's victim, fire in it's eyes. Suddenly, Frosti glimpsed the manticore's great stinger swooping down towards her, and leapt away. She heard the dull thud of the bone jamming into the base of the tree behind her, just as she landed on the leafy ground. Sparks of pain erupted around her wounded talons, but this was no time to nurse a wound. The manticore roared as she began to shoot away, crimson blood dripping from her foreclaw at every leap. She knew that it's tail was stuck, but not for long.

Frosti heard the _whumph_ of the manticore yanking away it's stinger from the tree, and the pounding of a set of great talons as the forest blurred into a green tunnel around her. She knew she could never outrun the monster, but at least she could lead it away from the flock so that the others didn't follow her fate. Suddenly, she tripped and tumbled over with a heavy gasp, winded and groaning in despair. The manticore did not miss it's mark a second time. The last thing Frosti heard was her own, strangled cry as it plunged it's stinger into her back...

 _But the manticore was too triumphant with it's catch to bother to clean up it's tracks. A trail of glistening, red blood dripped from Frosti's wounds to the cubs' clearing, lighting the way._

* * *

Shiny listened closely, soaking in every word of Flaw's story. "Wow!" he exclaimed a the end. "So you did defeat the bats! That sounds so cool. We're all pretty beat up and tired now, though." He stretched his sore wings, trying not to wince. "So how did you- "

He was cut off by a loud, piercing scream. He immediately shot up, his wings flying straight out in alarm. He'd heard that voice before. _That almost sounded like Frosti!_ He did a hurried check of their surroundings, wondering where she was. Alarmed, he turned back to Flaw. "What was that?!"

* * *

Larimar was only just starting to relax into sleep when she, too, heard the distressed cry. Her head lifted a little to look around the den. She became aware of Skah also resting near her. Though comforted by the sight of one of her friends, she started to worry about what was going on outside. Her wings fluttered weakly as she painfully rose back up.

She crept close enough to Skah for the other cub to hear her. "Did you hear that?" she whispered, lightly tapping him with her left foot.

* * *

Skah's mind was drifting when the shriek broke through the silence. His ears twitched with the sound. He waited in silence, listening for any other noises, when Larimar caught his attention. He gave small nod, hoping she would understand that he was still listening. He didn't move an inch as he waited patiently for any other noises.

Ghost abruptly stopped the scratching once she realised she was doing it. She looked down at what she had been doing. What she observed startled her. The marks in the rock looked vaguely like an arrow, pointing to some pillars. Her mind raced at what it meant, before the shriek broke her concentration. It sound scared and in pain. It sounded close. Quickly she did a head count of the others. Shiny, Flocke, Flaw, Lock, Skah and Larry inside. That left, the question, who and what was it?

* * *

The manticore kicked off into the sky with it's catch, silently. The young griffin wasn't much of a meal yet, but the manticore hadn't finished with it's hunts. There were still some other cubs in the flock but when it was strong enough to catch the other griffins...the other griffins...

The manticore could taste Frosti's blood in it's fangs, and could feel her body dangling from it's maw like a scrap of empty rabbit skin. It could feel her tiny heart painfully pumping life's blood over her owner. Frosti was still alive, but barely.

* * *

Flocke was in deep thought as he followed Lock over to Skah. He wasn't listening as Lock retold the story of the very cub Flocke wanted out of his head. He just couldn't shake the strange feeling of dread. The moment he saw Gladiolus, there just seemed to be a moment of certainty- as if the universe had made the final decision regarding Flocke's destiny. He got the terrible feeling that he and his friend's would undoubtedly see Gladiolus again.

As horrible as the thought was, he did feel slight hope in the idea. That would mean seeing Tulip again...

The pained scream is what tore the dark brown cub from his thoughts. He looked in the direction everyone else did, and waited, scared. For one terrible second, his disheveled mind convinced him that it had been Tulip's scream. But upon thinking twice, he reminded himself that it didn't sound like her.

Turning towards the others, he saw they were all listening just as intently. He wondered why no one was doing anything, before remembering that they were all exhausted, and hurt. The scream of a distant cub was something they just didn't want to deal with right now.

Yet, even though he slightly out of it because of the day's events, Flocke knew that someone had to check it out. If not for the unknown cub, then for their own safety. He was about to suggest that he go look (albeit, reluctantly) when he spotted a large being emerge from the tops of the trees in the distance. It had no obvious details- it was just the silhouette of a large being- so Flocke wasn't particularly frightened at first. But then he thought back on the scream.

That big thing was probably dangerous. Believing the others had seen it, Flocke spoke.

"We should hide, right?" he barely recognized his own voice. It was scratchy and felt rough. He cleared his throat before looking back up. The thing seemed to be getting closer, and because of this, Flocke saw something new.

"Why is a part of it white?" he asked once he spotted the small speck of white. Other than his disgruntled voice, Flocke sounded perfectly calm. Probably because he was- his mind wasn't letting him fully process the danger yet. He looked over to his flock mates, calmly waiting for a reply to one or both of his questions.

* * *

Flasher wandered lazily back to the cubs' encampment. Although the sun was already begenning to set, she felt no growing fear of the dark that shrouded the camp. As she reachedthe outskirts of the base, however hard she looked, there seemed to be something missing. Frosti had vanished from the flock.

Flasher frowned. Silently slipping around the corner of camp, she spied something stuck on a branch. Something white and fluffy, like the down of a snowy owl. With a jolt, Flasher realised that it was one of Frosti's feathers. In the semi-darkness, it looked as if it was coated in blots of crimson blood. Flasher sniffed at it, and realised that it was blood! Looking closer, she could barely make out some similar splotches on the leafy earth. She causiously followed the trail.

* * *

Shiny's mind raced. Still focused on figuring out the direction of the sound, Flocke's voice made him jump. He followed the other cub's gaze and was able to catch a glimpse of the swiftly moving manticore. Shiny didn't even notice it was holding something until Flocke pointed it out, but the moment he saw it his mind finally put all the pieces together. _Frosti..._

"Hide," he muttered. "Yes, that's...that's good idea, Flocke." He swallowed a big lump of fear. If the thing could take FrostFire, it could kill one of them as well. _She's probably already dead. We already failed her.  
_  
Another innocent cub who had saved them popped back into his head. _First Tulip, now Frosti. We've been helped so many times, but we never helped them back! We left them in danger! Oh, now I might as well have killed her. How many times is a griffin going to make a sacrifice for me that I'll never repay?_ Guilt built up within his chest until he wanted to cry out. His newly awakened instincts were fighting within him: should he be putting himself in danger for his friends as an adult much older than him would or hiding like a chick much younger?

Finally, he could no longer stand it. He decided on a compromise. "I'm going to go check it out!" he blurted out bravely. "Just to get a look. Another griffin might be in danger." He managed to keep his voice from trembling until the very end.

His exhaustion and injuries didn't matter to him at the moment. A friend could be hurt right now, and he swore by all he knew that he would not fail her as he had failed Tulip. He looked around hopefully. Doubt and fear quickly crept back into his mind. _Please don't make me go alone._


	73. - - Part V, Chapter 63

**Chapter 63**

Ghost watched the figure Flocke indicated with extreme nervousness. She, like him, had connected the scream with the large unknown being. Her instinct was to retreat to the den where they would be safe from view, but then Shiny expressed his desire to go and take a look. Angry with herself she realised that she couldn't let him go alone and when none of the others volunteered she knew who would be going with him. Besides they were probably the most fit out of the group to go. Hiding behind her brave exterior she lightly stepped forward, indicating to Shiny that she would go with him.

* * *

Flocke heard Shiny, and what he was saying- he even saw Ghost step forward- yet it just wasn't processing. He would have gone too, but his mind faltered, and he simply sat down, watching with seemingly blank eyes.

"Okay. Good luck." he said quietly, not fully understanding what he was saying. He then turned and walked into the little den they had slept in throughout winter. He laid down inside, but didn't fall asleep- he was unconsciously afraid to sleep at the moment.

"Don't get hurt." it was quiet enough that the others might not have heard it- he may have been saying it to the wind. Just because.

He was starting to lose it; He needed some peace and quiet- just for a little while... to regain his sanity. He stared into the darkness of the den, and finally a normal thought crossed his mind.

' _Am I going insane?_ '

* * *

Suddenly, the trail of blood widened up and vanished. Flasher was left staring at the leafy ground of the forest for a few seconds, before the reality of her job hit has been kidnapped! Where is she?!

Flasher kicked off into the air, her great wings pumping the air like a miniature hurricane.

* * *

Shiny nodded to her gratefully. He briefly checked the other chicks' expressions. They all looked too tired or too beat up from the fight with the bats for another adventure. Shiny wasn't upset with any of them. In fact, he knew deep inside him that they were making the better choice.

"Oh, go take a look if you have to," Larimar said sharply. Her voice was still quite strained. "But I think Frosti can take care of herself." With something that sounded like a sigh but ended in a cough, she laid back down beside Skah.

Forcing on a weak smile, Shiny ignored her and turned back toward Ghost. "The big brown thing in the sky was flying that way. I think it was going to land, too." He pointed with his tail in the direction of the manticore. "What do you think?"

* * *

Skah listened intently for several moments for any more noise from the forest. When no such events occured, he slouched back down onto his belly. The noise, while initially alarming, really didn't concern him that much for some reason. Maybe deep down, it was because he _knew_ it was Frosti; he wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. His eyes narrowed slightly as Larry shrank back down to his side and Shiny declared his desire to investigate.

Ghost quietly regretted her decision to investigate, before they had even started. She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly at Shiny's observations. Biting her tongue, she poked around in the bushes ringing their camp, searching for any trail she could pick up.

* * *

As Shiny and Ghost left, and the others went about doing their own thing, Flocke finally began to close his eyes. Even though he believed he'd be met with more nightmares, he just couldn't stay awake any longer.

Falling into a deep sleep instantly, Flocke began to forget about his and his friend's problems. Tulip and Gladiolus were forgotten; the strange distant creature was forgotten; Shiny and Ghost's departure was forgotten; and just everything escaped his mind. He let himself drift into darkness...

 _He was being chased. At first, he didn't know what it was that was chasing him- all he knew was that he had to run._

But when he finally got the nerve to look over his shoulder, burning, blood red eyes sprinted after him. Clenching his beak tightly, Flocke whipped his head back around and ran faster. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, and a dark voice whispered in his head, "Run faster, or he'll get you. Run, or he'll kill you. You wont wake up if he kills you."

But he couldn't run faster. In fact, it almost seemed like he was running slower. His legs were sore, and a dim pain shot up his left arm whenever he stepped on it. His breaths were ragged and his vision was blurring.

He was just about ready to collapse when he stumbled and tripped over his own feet. He landed hard- his mind creating pain where an imaginary bruise would be. He lifted his head and shook it, to rid himself of any dizziness, before turning around slowly.

Gladiolus- bigger, and more brute looking than he really was- stood right over him. He held the Devil in his eyes, and it almost seemed like his beak and feathers were stained with hints of blood. Flocke shook, tears threatening to escape. He shut his eyes tightly, knowing the older male was about to sink his sharp beak into Flocke's throat. But just before he could, Flocke let one begging, simple, innocent word out.

"Mother..."

And suddenly, he felt... better. His pain faded, and his fear seeped away. When he opened his eyes, it was not to darkness, or to the blood red of a monster. Instead, he was met with a pleasing light, that was tinted grey by what seemed to be fog or mist. He felt lightweight all of a sudden- as if he could run for miles without tiring.

Slowly- cautiously- he stood up. He looked around, trying to spy any tricks or traps. But he saw none. Just a misty light, everywhere he turned. But then... he heard a voice.

"Little Flake." It was a deep voice- slightly rustic- but there was a pleasing melody to it all the same. Flocke was immediately searching for it, desperately. He was curiously drawn to it- as if he needed to be near it.

"Who... Who are you?" he asked quietly, as continued to search. There was no one there.

"I am the song whose lyrics you will listen to- you will follow my words." the female voice said with authority. Flocke was compelled to obey, but life as an orphan who only listened to other orphans, brought out the need to only obey himself.

"Why should I?" he asked, trying to sound as in-charge as the voice did, but he knew it came out childish. He was surprised when the voice was not annoyed with him, but instead, chuckled. She didn't answer his question.

"Soon, one of your friends will wish to go somewhere. He won't exactly know where he's going- only that he should. You must follow- and you must help him convince your other friends to go as well."

"But

why _?" Flocke interrupted the voice. It continued smoothly._

"There is a place where spirits can commune with the living. A place where you and your friends can find guidance. It is here, where you will learn of your past, and decide what you must do in the future. You must go to this place, so that you may have a future." The voice paused, causing Flocke to look around some more. Had she gone?

"We left you so early. Believe that we never meant to leave you all behind. We are dearly sorry for the pain and sorrow you've all been through- that you will go through. ... I am sorry, little Flake." The voice sounded distraught, but never missed a beat. "I must go now. Listen to your friend, and be there for all of them." Flocke could hear her voice fading, when he thought of a question.

"Why do you call me Little Flake?" he was only answered with a tired chuckle, before the mist faded away fully, and he was left in an empty world of dark grey nothing. The cub looked around some more, expecting to see something- Red eyes were one of the things that came to mind- but found that he was truly alone.

Deciding to enjoy this moment, Flocke laid down, and closed his eyes to sleep.

Limbo was a peaceful place, where nightmares, nor dreams could interrupt your rest...

If any of the others happened to look into the den in which Flocke slept, they'd see a neutral face- not a smile or a frown- and a peaceful glow practically emanating from his very being.

Even without a smile, Flocke looked happy.

* * *

With a roar of pure fury, Flasher suddenly burst out of the shrub like a fireball, her eyes lit with rage. In a single bound, she flew over the cub's encampment and hurled herself into the nearby woods.

"YOU'LL NEVER ESCAPE ME!" she screamed into the swirling darkness. There was no reply, so she thundered on. Suddenly, the trees widened out into a burnt out clearing that a wildfire had destroyed a few years earlier. Then, there was a flash of white.

Frosti's bloodstained feathers glowed like a moonlit beacon to Flasher. With a roar, Flasher ran towards the cub, and scooped her up in her claws, trying her best to breathe back the life into the enchanter.

Tears rolled down Flasher's cheeks as she cradled the young griffin in her lap. The manticore's poison had taken their toll on Frosti, and it would be a few days before the spell was over.

Flasher thrust back her head and roared. She roared with all the soul left in her, and raked her talons against the charred earth. A second later, there was a rustle of burnt leaves as the manticore left it's hiding place and snarled in anger at another meal lost...

* * *

Shiny clawed his way through some of the smaller bushes, his dark brown eyes going over every single detail in case he stumbled upon a trail toward his friend. He looked back at Ghost every once and a while to make sure he didn't loose her as he continued to move ahead.

He finally caught Frosti's scent not too far from their camp. There was another weird smell mixed with hers. _Probably that thing that flew off with her_ , he guessed. He started to follow it, giving Ghost an excited chirp. "I found something!" Shiny raced toward it, resisting the urge to call Frosti's name. It was an old trail, he reminded himself. She was long gone by now.

The first thing he saw was the blood. After a whole day of constant battle, the sight made him want to throw up. White feathers were scattered around the area, stuck to the ground in the dried blood or floating freely in the wind as if to say ' _She's flying. She's gone. She's dead._ '

Shiny held back a sob. By the looks of it, FrostFire was dead. "G-Ghost..." he called, unsure of what to do except stand there in shock.


	74. - Book 2, Part VI (Cub Stage C)

**Chicks of Destiny**  
 **Book 2**

* * *

PART VI:

CUB STAGE C

* * *

In which tragedy strikes,  
recedes,  
and more destined stories are bound together  
in a different place.


	75. - - Part VI, Chapter 64

**Chapter 64**

Ghost trailed along a short distance behind Shiny. She was combing everything to ensure the younger chick didn't miss anything. Shortly after he picked up the trail she also found it. She could pick out Frosti's scent, but she could also smell something that was, musty and bitter. It was a very bad smell and called danger to her from the moment she smelt it. She caught the rusty smell of blood before she saw it. Her heart sank at the sight, there was so much.

Quietly she walked up beside Shiny draping a wing gently over him. She often forgot how much younger he was than herself and the others. It would have been a huge shock for Shiny seeing the carnage, after all he had been raised after the majority of the bloodshed. "She's gone Shiny", she quietly confirmed what they saw in front of them.

* * *

The manticore, having enough of the waiting, launched itself at Flasher. She leapt away as it lashed it's claws at her face, and struck back in her fury. She missed, just long enough for it to give a blow at her right wing. But before it could strike, Flasher pulled away and hurled a stolen dagger at it's chest with a flick of her paw. With a sickening thud, the shining metal buried itself in the creature's chest and it collapsed with a shower of crimson blood.

"Take THAT, you rotting zombie!" spat Flasher, and she turned to go. A quick movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned, catching the sight of Frosti's feathers on the ground. It didn't matter how much she was hurt now, Frosti was still alive, even in a faded state. She could feel life slowly returning back to the yonung enchanter as she cradled her in her paws, but Frosti was still very badly wounded. Flasher had only stopped the manticore's hold over the poison; they could only control it when they were alive.

 _And now..._

* * *

"N-no...she's not here...m-maybe she's still alive. M-maybe it just...hurt...her..." Shiny said, his voice rising with every word as a sharp, cold feeling tightened around his heart. He just didn't know what to do. Scream? Cry? Curl up and pretend he was dreaming? He flapped his dark wings, shaking off the comforting warmth of Ghost's wing. Shiny stepped away from her, forcing himself to take another look at the gruesome scene.

 _Gone._ The word caused something deep inside Shiny to break. He longed for a release. He wished he was back in his shiny little egg, unknown and unknowing. Anger burst out him. He was angry at blood and death and life and how he had suffered at the hands of all three of them. He was an _orphan_. His parents were already gone. Soon all his friends would be as well!

"No, no, NO!" he cried, viciously grabbing one of the bloody feathers and clenching his beak till he thought it would crack. He tried to block out the disgusting smell of the blood and imagine Frosti was with them. It didn't work. The scent of blood and death was everywhere.

"NO!" he shrieked. "She's alive, she HAS to be!" He accidentally swallowed the feather, coughing and screaming as he felt it get all tangled up in his throat. Now the vile, awful taste filled his mouth. It was _everywhere._ It was unescapable. Blood and death...

He spun around, no longer even speaking to Ghost. Shiny was only trying to convince himself now. "She has to be! She has to be!" He tried to say it again, but it came out as a horrible, garbled scream. He threw up in his beak and swallowed it before letting out another sob. At least its sour taste got rid of the blood.

* * *

Flocke woke up slowly- his mind was groggy, and the haze of Limbo was still casting its bland shadow over his eyes. At first, he felt like he was still asleep. But as he moved around a bit more, he finally managed to wake enough to see through clear eyes.

With the clarity of the world, and the recognition of being inside the den, Flocke came fully back to his senses. With his senses, came his memories. The memory of Gladiolus and Tulip, thankfully, took the backseat in favor of the memory of his dream.

That voice, so soothing and comforting, had told him some interesting stuff. He was surprised at how much he remembered- though he knew he didn't remember all of it. He only vaguely remembered an apology- for what? He was uncertain. Other than that, he only remembered that someone was supposed to decide to go somewhere. A good place. That's what the voice said, right? He wasn't quite sure. It was something like that.

Flocke looked outside the den. Should he tell the others? No. They'd think he was crazy. He'd wait for whoever the voice was talking about. Then he'd tell them about his dream. Otherwise, it could be just that- a dream. Still, it was a wonderful dream. It brought his senses back.

Leaving the den, Flocke walked over to the others. He stretched a moment, before looking at them. His memory of what had happened before falling asleep had conveniently vanished.

"Hey guys." he looked around. "Where's Ghost and Shiny?" he asked innocently.

* * *

"They're off searching for that white cub...Frost, I think. FrostFire," Larimar said with a dramatic sigh. "As if we need more trouble." She turned her head to look at Flocke. She was mildly surprised that he hadn't gone with them. It seemed like something sweet, brave Flocke would do. She thought back to when he found Flaw and she had showed a similar coldness to what she felt now.

Larimar was tired. Her throat was dry. Her stomach growled. Her paws felt too heavy to move. The pain in her ribs, though now familiar and constant, was still just as unbearable as before. She didn't care if she sounded like a brat. All she wanted right now was some sleep. She readjusted her wings, letting her head flop back down to the ground.

* * *

Ghost watched Shiny carefully. He was sad and upset by the events and it was extremely obvious, so she let him vent his emotions. She sympathized with his attempt to deny what the clues laid out in front of them conveyed. But privately she was sad only for what Shiny felt, the fact that he was upset and angry made her feel it as well. She didn't care for Frosti, she like Skah had misgivings about the odd cub. Sure she was sad that she was most probably dead, but at least she was no longer around to create trouble for them. It was part of a cold streak that she kept hidden better than Skah.

Silently she watched Shiny as he continued to storm around the clearing, she wouldn't interrupt him. It may cause him to redirect his emotions onto her she reasoned, but if he got out of control much more she would step in.

Keeping one eye on Shiny she observed the gruesome scene in front of her with a keener eye. She paid special attention to the scratches and marks on the ground. They were too big to be made by Frosti alone, so whatever had happened the other creature had landed. The scrapes were big, she could fit a whole foot inside them. Her mind drifted a little as the scrapes reminded her of some other marks she had seen, nay, made recently. The ordered marks she had made in the rock by the river surfaced again, and so did the feeling that she needed to be somewhere else. Shinys garbled scream broke through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

Skah let Larimar answer on his behalf. Besides is was probably best he didn't offer an opinion considering his already obvious feelings towards the cub in question. Despite this he muttered, "Good riddance."

* * *

 _She has to be alive!_ Shiny closed his eyes. His stupid little outburst was childish enough. He couldn't let Ghost see him cry. He sank to his knees in a large clump of Frosti's feathers and sat there surrounded by the dried crimson blood and dove-white spots of brightness.

Inside he was still raging, but now he was mostly just embarrassed. As his breaths slowed and his madness started to fade, he reflected on his actions and felt ashamed. He couldn't loose his head like that anymore! Had he learned nothing from the other cubs? He wiped his beak on his paw, the disgusting taste of vomit still filling his mouth and nostrils. Then he stayed as still as if he had sat in that sorrowful place for a hundred years.

A deep sadness filled his heart...but a spark of hope still remained.

He summoned up the nerve to look back up at Ghost. Standing shakily, he took a few more deep breaths before speaking in a much calmer, quieter voice. "I know it looks like...like she'd dead," he said very slowly, still figuring out how to piece together his thoughts. "But I think...I feel like she isn't. I don't know, I just feel it! You know what it's like...to just feel that something's right, don't you?" Shiny's doleful eyes pleaded with her, begging her to understand his scattered words.

* * *

Ghost was quite pleased when Shiny got a grip of himself. He was clearly shame faced, but she didn't linger on it. She listened intently to Shinys thoughts, he sounded quite desperate not to let go of Frost. Ghost didn't really understand how he had got such feelings so rapidly for the foreign cub. Biting her tongue she considered what he was saying, and it made sense in a way. After all, there was no body she thought rather callously.

She considered her response carefully, not wanting to upset Shiny any more. "You may be right, but it looks bad you know. She's definitely in trouble, and we have no way of going after the beast".

She let silence hang for a moment before speaking again. "We should move away Shiny, what if whatever was here comes back again?" She took a step towards the trail back to their den before halting to make sure Shiny was following.


	76. - - Part VI, Chapter 65

**Chapter 65**

Flocke was confused. White cub? FrostFire? He only knew one white cub and that was Ghost. Vaguely, remembered a white spot being carried by a distant creature, and that Shiny had said something about it. Apparently he had missed meeting someone.

Either way, he was slightly put off by Larimar's behavior towards the situation. It sounded like this cub needed help- was that really troublesome? It sounded like she was in more trouble than them... However, it's when he barely caught what Skah said that he got mad. He felt his gut twist and his face became hot.

"How dare you." he said, upset. He may not know this FrostFire cub, but that didn't mean anything at this point. For a moment he thought of Tulip. He barely knew her too, but if it weren't for her, his shoulder would still be wounded and he could be sick again. She helped a stranger, even though she knew what could happen to her if she did. Even though she knew that if Gladiolus caught them, he could've hurt them all.

"I don't know this FrostFire cub, and apparently you do, but that doesn't mean you can say things like that! From the sounds of it, she's an orphan too, and you know what: We _have_ to help each other! We're all orphans, which means we're all alone. If we don't help each other, then we're just as bad as the creatures that try to eat us!" His mind flashed to Gladiolus for but a moment. He turned towards Skah.

"Remember that cub we told you about? It's cubs like _him_ that we should be worried about- Not cubs who are alone and possibly afraid!" He looked at both of them sternly.

"I don't know about the two of you, but my goals haven't changed. I want to find adults, to learn exactly what happened to us, and I want to help any eggs, chicks, or cubs I find along the way. I want to get older, and I'm certain that won't happen if I don't make friends, because friends help each other! We're _kids_! We can't just go it alone!"

He panted from his outburst, a small headache beginning to make its way to the surface of his temple. The red he had been seeing from his anger began to fade, and with it, his temper. With a small gasp- as he realized that he had just yelled at his friends- Flocke bent down and made himself appear smaller.

"I'm sorry..." he said quietly. "I didn't mean to yell like that... Y-you guys know more about this, so I shouldn't have said anything..." Honestly, who was he to tell them what to think. For one, they were both older and bigger than him. For two, Skah was the one in charge- Flocke should know better than to yell at him.

Flocke laid his head on his paws and looked down pitifully. He really needed to learn how to keep his beak shut.

"You both know better. I'm sorry."

* * *

Silently, Flasher was sitting under a tree rubbing orniments into Frosti's wounds and bandaging them with some leaves. She cursed quietly as she trickled a vial of antiparalyse into the cub's scars, but kept working to help. Manticore poison was a venom built to paralyse a victim, but keep it alive so that the manticore could eat it while it was still warm.

Several times, Flasher had considered getting up and walking back to the encampment and had been increacingly tempted to do so when she had heard the scream of pain coming from the encampment. But she didn't. What would that leader say if he discovered that the cub wasn't dead? What was his name...Matroskah? He hated her. When Skah had told her to leave, she wasn't sure if he had heard him properly. But when she had tried to ask him, he was already gone.

Frosti needed to be healed first.

* * *

Flaw and Lock had moved closer to the cave, but we're laying outside of it under an over hand. Flaw had settled himself rather close to Lock, who had rested his wing in a protective manner over the small cub and watched the others, the two cubs going after the scream, who in their right mind would go toward danger? Whatever, it wasn't his problem.

Flaw lifted his head from where he rested it in his claws and watched Flocke's outburst with wide eyes. "Hey Flocke, don't worry about it. I'm sure if we met her when we weren't so tired we would help her as best as we can."

"Flaw is right, in the sense none of us could afford another battle, as I bet the reason for the scream is something we can't handle at all. We are just cubs." Lock add with a nod.

* * *

Skah weathered Flocke's outburst with a blank face. Although his eyes told a different story. They glowed bright with anger, anger that Flocke presumed to lecture him on survival. His tail lashed and his ears pricked up but he let Flocke finish his sudden burst of knowledge. He watched the younger male shrink down after his outburst before making a move. But Flaw and Lock interrupted him before he could get started. Their comments to support and subdue Flocke caused him to smirk.

He rose from his position, all deadly strength visible and stepped towards where Flocke lay on the ground. His tail flicked gently from side to side, a metronome for every slow, but loaded step. He circled Flocke, his claws clicking just perceptively on the stones underfoot.

"That's right Flocke, I know better", his voice was calm and low, matching his footfalls, but held a force that warranted no interruptions. "Frostfire is dangerous, to us, and she brings danger in what hunts her. Think Flocke, whatever hunts her will hunt us if we're together, and I for one have no interest in being around when they catch up with her."

He paused in his circling right in front of Flocke, "But nobodys stopping you from doing what you want".

* * *

Flocke listened to Flaw and Lock's words silently. They made him feel slightly better, but he still felt horrible for raising his voice and yelling. His guilt doubled when Skah circled him with obvious upset and anger. Flocke was quickly reminded of his shaky relationship with Skah- one wrong step and Flocke would get it. The tone in Skah's voice told him he had nearly made that step. Now, it seemed Skah was beckoning him to a challenge.

Somewhere in the back of his head, a voice told Flocke to stand up; to face Skah and challenge him head on. But Flocke stubbornly held it at bay- He wouldn't let that quiet voice take hold of him.

Facing the storm that was Matoskah, Flocke held his breath as he nodded his head to Skah's words. He would not challenge the older male. He would not fight him in any way. Mainly because Flocke knew he was right...

Whoever FrostFire was, she was apparently dangerous. His heart screamed for him to deny this; that they should help lost cubs. But he knew better. It was too dangerous to risk it now- maybe when they were older they could help, but not now. They were still too young. Survival was of the upmost importance... even if it meant leaving a few behind. That idea made Flocke want to gag, but he didn't let that show.

When Skah finished, Flocke finally looked up. He stared evenly into Skah's gaze, but his stare wasn't challenging. With that simple look, he hoped Skah understood that he understood. That he would listen- that he would always listen.

"I'd get myself killed if I did what I wanted." he answered Skah's last sentence. "I have to follow someone... Might as well be you, right? You sure know how to scare the feathers off of people who go against you after all." he laughed a shaky laugh as he let a large, yet timid, smile appear on his face. He may not be able to challenge Skah, but he wouldn't let himself get scared of him either. He would not appear weak- he could laugh even when facing someone stronger than him.

He slowly stood up on slightly wobbly legs and made sure to stay submissive by keeping his head lowered.

"Can I go get a drink from the stream?" he asked quietly- his throat was sore from the yelling he didn't usually do. However, he wouldn't just leave- he'd wait for Skah's permission. Even though the voice told him not to care, he made sure to wait. He wouldn't listen to the voice- he would only listen to Skah.

* * *

Larimar watched them in silence, her feathers still ruffled from Flocke's sudden burst of anger. She let Skah and Flocke continue without interjections, partly because she had nothing say and partly because every word she tried to speak made the burning in her chest even worse. Her cold green eyes moved from cub to cub. She let her hackles drop, pretending she had no interest in their little show-off.

She agreed with Skah - FrostFire was dangerous. Letting her stay with them would bring many new enemies their way. Plus, none of them were in any shape to go running after the strange cub. Shiny and Ghost were the least injured, and even they probably wouldn't last long out there. Her tail nervously swished at the thought. She found herself drifting away from Shiny and Skah's confrontation and wondering where her other two friends were. _Have they found her? Do I want them to find her? Are they safe? Please be safe, please be safe...  
_  
The truth was that Larimar was worried for herself and her friends. Not just about the possible dangers they could face. The whole flock was pushing itself closer and closer toward the edge of self-destruction. They needed time to rest, to recover. She knew that they could not go on much longer. If Frosti came back and they had to defend her in a another fight...the young cubs wouldn't even stand a chance.

Larimar knew she was selfish. She knew that by siding with Matoskah she could be dooming an innocent cub to death (if she wasn't already dead). She also knew that her flock, her small, unimpressive flock of orphans, was all that she had. She wanted things to stay the same. She wanted to pretend everything was fine and that nothing bad would happen if they didn't try to change anything. Such a mindset provided some temporary comfort and allowed her to place the blame for everything on something else.

It couldn't be _her_ fault if Frosti was dead.

It wasn't _her_ fault that she couldn't be bothered to help...

 _Right?_

Larimar lifted her head again when she heard Flocke agree with Matoskah. She shook away her thoughts of FrostFire and the flock, focusing back on the current situation. She was a little disappointed that Flocke had given into the older cub's reasoning so easily. Yes, she thought he was wrong, but Flocke was such a bold, bright cub. It would have been nice to see him sticking up for his own opinions. Curling back up with her wings over her face, she went back to sleep like nothing had happened.


	77. - - Part VI, Chapter 66

**Chapter 66**

Skah met Flocke's gaze with his own strong eyes glowing. He understood, and he was satisfied. He was satisfied that Flocke had remembered how things worked around here. And that was the nub of the matter. Skah needed to be in control, he needed to be the one to lead. He used his intimidating demeanor when necessary to force the others to follow him. But he wasn't bloodthirsty like Gladiolus; he wouldn't have unnecessarily attacked Flocke. He would of if it helped his own ambitions though.

Flocke got up shakily and requested a drink. But Skah understood again; Flocke was asking permission to leave, that the discussion was over. It was. His eyes lost that sparkle and he tipped his head at Flocke before he settled back down next to Larimar. He curled up with his head on his front legs. But his eyes were alert and they stared straight at Lock. His actions may have been directed at Flocke, but they were a message to the other males as well.

Ghost huffed impatiently at Shiny. "There's nothing we can do here", she said impatiently. "Come on Shiny".

* * *

Shiny gave the bloody bushes one last empty glance. "FROSTI?!" He let out a single loud, hoarse cry in case his friend had somehow survived and was close enough to hear them. Then he gave Ghost a simple nod and trudged after her. He resisted the urge to look back, knowing that what he would see again would only make him feel like even more of a failure. _What kind of griffin can't even help the one who saved his life?_

* * *

Lock li fted his gaze and met Skah's eyes, his own p urple ones narrowing slightly, but he didn't let his gaze fall away. The other male was trying to point out that he was in charge, and wanted to intimidate him, but Lock simply raised an eyebrow in an elegant manner. The small movement spoke volumes. It said 'so what if you can intimidate a little cub? Do you think something as small as that would work on me?' A slight snort escaped Lock's nostrils, his eyes flashed an instant. 'I'm not here for _you_.' his posture screamd at the other male.

Their eyes were locked, but for Lock it wasn't a challenge for leadership, as far as he was concerned, Skah could be leader of the little flock, as long as he didn't try to push the loner around they would get along fine.

* * *

Flasher's ears pricked as she heard the shout. Screwing up the last of the bottles, she carefully stood up, the young griffin in her paws. Now that she knew that somebody was very close to where she was, she carefully wandered over to where she had first entered. Just as she reached the edge of the shrub, she caught a glance of two figures heading back to the encampment. Shock filled her soul as she realised that they had abandoned their search without even bothering to enter the bushes and see what lay beyond.

"HEY YOU GUYS!" Flasher cried. "WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?! YOU DIDN"T EVEN DO IT PROPERLY!"

Quick as a blink, she had crossed the shrubs and stood behind them, her tail flicking in fustration at their lack of effort.

* * *

With Skah's permission, Flocke straightened a bit more to walk away. He turned and trotted over to the stream. With each shaky step he took, his body seemed to calm down.

When he reached the water's edge, he dipped his beak in and took a nice long drink- It succeeded in soothing his throat and nerves. When he lifted his head, he looked up at the sky. The sun would set soon, but Flocke was no longer tired- having just woke up. It would seem that he would be staying awake tonight.

Just as well- If there was something dangerous out there, that was hurting cubs, then someone had to keep an eye open.

Stretching the stiffness out of his body, Flocke took an after-sleep yawn before turning to walk back to the others. He laid down near them, and watched the sky for a few minutes.

Then he decided he was bored.

"Soo... What now?" he asked, looking around. Did they really have to just wait around for Shiny and Ghost to get back? If so, then Flocke new it would be a very long evening.

* * *

Skah stared back at Lock unflinching, a battle of wills. As the minutes went by and the other male made no move Skah made no move to break the contact. Finally he felt that he had established his position and that they both understood each other. He blinked once, long and exaggerated conveying his acceptance of the situation.

He looked up as Flocke returned then questioned their situation. He thought about it for a moment before answering. They were in a bit of trouble now, they had been safely hidden away in the valley until the days events. He didn't think it was safe for them to stay where they were now, too many things knew that they were here he reasoned.

Rousing himself he sat up before replying. "We rest tonight and tomorrow," his eyes flickered towards Larry her injuries were the only reason that he gave them a longer rest that was necessary. "Then we move, find somewhere that we can see our surrounds, somewhere high I think, somewhere we can't be snuck up on again."

Annoyance flashed across Ghost's face when she heard Flasher call out. She was annoyed at the fact that Flasher had called out and at what she said. It seemed that the whole Frosti episode just kept on throwing up trouble for them. She half turned back to Flasher, she remained in that position, a defiant look on her face.

* * *

"What, did I upset you?" demanded Flasher angrily. "Why are you glaring at me like that? What makes you seem so angry, huh?"

Flasher turned away with a sigh.

* * *

Shiny spun around at the sound of a loud voice. Startled, he scrambled up to Ghost and shyly ducked behind her, expecting an attack from a hostile griffin like Gladiolus. _Wait a second; I've heard that voice before._ He was still quite distracted and confused by the recent events. It took a moment for him to connect the familiar face with a name.

"Flasher!" he said hoarsely. He stayed behind Ghost, rocking uncertainly and waiting to see what judgement the older cub would pass first. Then he noticed the white cub Flasher has with her. Shock, relief, and an odd sort of shame burst into his heart. "Frosti!" he gasped. He leaned toward the big gray hen. His gizzard twisted when he saw her condition. "Is...is she..."

* * *

"No..." she answered for him."I don't know what happened exactly, but when I found her, she was dangling from the jaws of some kind of monster. But don't worry, it is dead now."

Flasher lay the unconcious cub down on the grassy earth. She pointed to where a large wound had begun to weep black grease over the soil.

"That's where the monster stung her. The black stuff isn't blood, it's poison. I've tried my best to clean it out, but I don't know what it can do to a griffin. I'm not sure how to truely get rid of it, either." she muttered.

* * *

Ghost glanced contempuosly at Frostis limp form and completely ignored Flashers remarks. She cared little for Frosti and Flasher held no authority over her. She had no allegiance to either of them and she didn't want any. She flicked her tail and stepped forward moving around Shiny making ber way back to their den.


	78. - - Part VI, Chapter 67

**Chapter 67**

"Somewhere high?" Flocke looked around and up. He definitely hoped Skah wasn't thinking about keeping them all in a tree. He decidedly hated trees... and being in them... However, the only "high" places he could think of were the hills they sometimes saw- and surely those weren't what Skah was talking about.

When Flocke gave up looking around, he set his gaze into the distance to think. However, before he could, he saw the mountain.

' _That thing is pretty high, right? And it's not a tree..._ ' Flocke thought to himself. He decided to direct the others attention to it by pointing to it.

"Someplace like that?" he asked curiously, but suddenly felt like he was being silly. That place was much too far away for them.

"Of course... we could always try a tree... I guess..." he mumbled quietly in distaste. He did _not_ want to live in a tree...

* * *

 _A tree?_ Larimar shuddered at the thought. _Doesn't he remember the last time we tried climbing a tree?_ She remained still, deciding that her best option was to rest and let herself heal so that she could make herself useful later. "How long have Shiny and Ghost been gone?" she said quietly. "I don't want them wasting their energy." Larry wanted to be sympathetic, but she wasn't going to let her friends put themselves in danger. "She's probably dead, anyway..." she whispered with a hint of sadness.

* * *

Shiny grimaced. _What if we're already too late?_ _That venom could kill her._ He swished his tail thoughtfully. "Maybe one of the older cubs can help. Like Skah or...Ghost?" He turned away from Flasher, watching in despair as his friend started walking back toward the den without them.

 _If only Tulip were here_ , he thought bitterly. _She might have known some kind of herb that could cure this._ He glared at Ghost, more frustrated than angry. How could his friend, who he had always looked up to, leave a hurt, innocent cub behind? Did anyone even care anymore?

"Come on," he said to Flasher, his distress evident in his voice. "I'll help you. I'll figure something out."

* * *

Skah looked up at the mountains in the distance. They were a long way away but that was the point wasn't it? They needed somewhere more isolated. He considered it for a moment and it felt right. It frlt like they should be headed for higher ground and trees certainly wouldn't work.

"Trees are definitely out of the question," he reassured the others. "The mountains are where we are going," he announced.

* * *

"Long enough," Ghost answered Larrys question as she stomped into the clearing with uncharacteristic ill grace.

* * *

"Oh thank goodness!" Flocke said exasperatedly, as he relaxed his nerves. "I was afraid you'd actually agree with the tree idea... Of course, you're not that crazy... But there was a chance. Not a chance of you being crazy, just you agreeing... and... yeah" The farther into his little rant, Flocke's words slowly became a form of mumbling. He decided he should quiet down.

Then, he heard Ghost coming up behind them. Turning, he saw her coming through the brush.

"Ghost!" he said happily. He looked behind her, but so far Shiny hadn't come out. "Where's Shiny? Did you find that other cub? What happened?" he asked, as was his nature.

* * *

Lock and Flaw were listening to the others' conversations, with no need to put in their own input. Flaw seemed happy enough to follow Skah rather blindly, and Lock... well Lock would do what was needed for Flaw; he would follow Flaw's friend as long as he felt was needed, and, if he did something Lock didn't agree with... well the young cub was always free to leave whenever he wanted.

* * *

"Thank you very much, Shiny." Flasher sighed, still glaring after Ghost as the cub stalked away. "Well, the best I can think of is to clean out the wounds with water, that should clean out the poison, and the coldness might slow it down from spreading. The problem is, I do not know where the nearest stream is, and we cannot be sure if the water will make it better. It might even make the poison worse."

Flasher's tail flicked in distress. "I have three types of antivenom in my pack, but they are only for snakebites and the side effects may be too bad for use. I was going to throw them away because they have begun to stink slightly. They may have lost their purifying effect already, so I do not believe that it is worth the risk. No, water is our greatest hope. I have a half-full flask of water, but I am not sure if It would be enough..."

* * *

Shiny clacked his beak in frustration. Just a moment ago he had been mourning Frosti's death. Now she was alive, and he had no idea how to save her! "That's a good idea. We...uh...we should clean the wound," he repeated. "Then we should cover it with something...stop the bleeding...uh..." Shiny's eyes squeezed shut. He tried to think back to what Lolly had told him about when Flocke was wounded by a fox. He knew nothing of how venom worked or how to stop it from killing her. _One step at a time_ , he reasoned. _Focus on the blood first; then figure out what to do about that.  
_  
The other cubs probably knew a lot more about wounds and healing, but it seemed like Flocke was the only one besides Shiny who would give a care. Had winter really stomped that much mercy and and compassion from them? Were they just getting smarter and older while he was left as foolish and petty as before?

 _That doesn't matter right now_ , he told himself firmly. _I'll just help Flasher and Frosti and then be on my way. My friends will understand._ He looked back at Flasher, his dark eyes now shining with false hope and determination. "We can go back to the flock's cave. I don't know if my friends will let you stay very long, but there's a stream in there that you can clean Frosti in. Larry and Flocke might help. Maybe Skah, too. Maybe."

Shiny promised himself he would stay strong. He had important things to do now, responsibilities. Responsibility. Though the heavy word filled him with dread, he knew in his heart that it was time for him to start carrying it around like the other cubs. He would grow up now, for Frosti's sake.

* * *

Flasher admired Shiny's courage. This was a cub that knew what he was doing, no matter how dangerous the situation was. She had found someone that was reliable and kind.

"Right. Could you show me to the river?" asked Flasher, trying her best to keep her panic at bay.

"There's not much of the poison left, except that I don't know how strong it is. Just show me."


	79. - - Part VI, Chapter 68

**Chapter 68**

Shiny nodded. He started in the direction Ghost had gone, following her path as far as he had seen her go. At first, he thought he recognized the path. He kept walking, looking back every once and a while to make sure he hadn't left Flasher and Frosti behind. He started to become unsure of the path he was taking when he stumbled into some thistles he'd never seen before.

 _Is this really the way that I got here?_ He gulped, looking around for any familiar landmarks. _Oh, why did I let Ghost leave us?_ He spotted a large rock and forced himself to believe that it was the one he saw on the way back from the bats. _Okay, this has to be the right direction._ "So..." he said to Flasher, talking to calm himself down. "So...do you have a flock? Do big griffins have flocks like ours?"

To his relief, he spotted their clearing up ahead. _I hope the others won't be mad...Flocke and Larimar might understand. I just want to help Frosti._ "Okay," he said meekly. "I think we're back."

* * *

Ghost continued through their camp until she stood on the banks of the river. She stood there, a silent statue. Internally she was embroiled in a battle with herself. She stood by her treatment of Flasher and Frosti, she knew it was the best thing for her and the group. But the way Shiny looked at her, pleading for her to do something, it tore at her, nibbling her resolve.

 _It is the best thing for us!_ She told herself again. Her bronze eyes glanced skyward picking out the stars that had become visible. They were so beautiful, they looking like chips of diamond, so bright and strong looking, but so far away.

Skah watched Ghost troop through the camp, it was obvious that something was troubling her, but he knew that she needed to be alone for a little. Returning his attention to their conversation he thought a little more on their options. Moving to the mountains would certainly be a good change for them. They were all getting bigger which made hiding in the forest a little more difficult. It also meant that they would be learning to fly some time soon. It gave them the advantage of being able to see what was around them better as well.

To him it all added up to a perfect place to be. It would take them some time to reach their destination and then to find a suitable shelter, but that was all part of the adventure.

* * *

As Matoskah pondered their situation, a chocolate-brown cub spread her dappled wings and glided to a lower ledge. Nervously fingering her necklace, she shuddered in the cold, thin air. Folding her wings, Onyx remembered the dream she had had earlier that night:

 _A mist concealed everything in a soft whiteness. A giggle broke the silence, then a soft voice. "Hush, Roarke." Onyx's heart leaped. Mother?, I thought excitedly. "Yes, my dear. I hear your thoughts." Onyx smiled. "What's your name?" asked her brother. "Onyx," she had whispered.  
_

The dream had continued to explain what to do. Her mother, with a few interruptions by Roarke, told her to go down the mountain to find the cub with eyes of blue and follow him to the sacred place.

 _"I'm so sorry, young one," her mother had said to her at the end of her dream, her voice cracking. "I left you so early... I couldn't even say goodbye..." A sniff, then: "Will you forgive me?" Onyx started sobbing. "Yes, of course I'll forgive you."_

* * *

Haze knew he was lost.

At first he couldn't bear to admit it. He had never considered himself the sort to get lost so easily. He thought he knew this part of the forest well. He thought his mother had been just a few footsteps away from their nest. He thought he could catch an eagle and bring it home and make her proud...

Haze had thought a lot about what he was going to do, but all of those thoughts turned out to be wrong. _I'm dead_ , he thought, looking up at the darkening sky. _I'm so dead! I'll never last the night out on my own. Mommy warned me about this. Big animals will eat me...or small ones will poison me...or I'll run into one of those_ human _things._ His mother was a cautious griffin who had ingrained in her son the fear of nearly everything. The thing he feared most of all, though, were the humans.

In teaching him to fear them, she had gone so far as to tell him that she was not, in fact, his blood mother, but a second mom. His first one had been scared away by hunters. By the time he had his cub coat, Haze had figured out that 'scared away' meant brutally murdered.

 _Why didn't I stay behind? Why was I so STUPID?! Ugh, I'm going to die and Mommy will never see me again!_ As much as he wanted to cry out, he was scared of predators hearing him. Night had already fallen! He curled up in a quivering ball, certain that he wouldn't live to see the morning. "Help?" he called softly. "Help me, please..."

* * *

Onyx took the last step on the mountain that she would take for a long time. Digging a hole under a large, shielding bush, she rubbed her cobalt blue gemstone shard, reawakening the weak magic to keep herself warm and soothe her nerves. She lay in the deep hole and began to eat the fat, slow squirrel she had caught, relishing the still-warm flesh. After she preened her smooth feathers free of the frost the mountain had bestowed on them, she closed her eyes to sleep, but they snapped back open once she remembered her new morning ritual. Looking to the single, fading star that the sun had not yet driven away in its brightness, her last thought of the night was a wish, one that she had pleaded the heavens for at each sunrise. _I wish to find the sacred place._

* * *

Onyx woke slowly, as if she were rising from the bottom of a lake, and as she resurfaced, the hazy water disappeared as she opened her eyes to a sky the color of a ripe mango's skin. The sunset had come and gone, leaving only a watercolor ceiling over the darkening forest. Retrieving her single belonging, a half-eaten squirrel carcass, from the hole, Onyx sighed. Another hard night ahead of her. As she trekked through the underbrush she had time to sort out her thoughts. _Why am I even doing this?,_ some rebellious part of Onyx asked. _Because my mother said so_ , chastised Onyx's heart that still mourned for her mother, _and I do whatever she wants, because alive or dead_ , - Onyx sighed, for that was what it looked like - _alive or dead, she is still my mother, and I love her, and she loves me back._ The rebellious part started up again, _But what if it was just a dream? What if none of that even exists? Not the blue-eyed cub, or the sacred place? What if Roarke and mother aren't dead?_ , it sneered. _NO_ , her heart roared fiercely, _NO, I wish it weren't true, but it is. I found Roarke's body in the forest. It smelled of mother, our nest, and raccoon. And if mother weren't dead, she never would have let Roarke stray so far from the nest while he was JUST A CHICK._ No other thoughts protested against her logic and Onyx let out a shaky sob as the ugly truth sank in. _I have no one...  
_

* * *

Onyx's belly brushed against the coarse dirt on the ground, her tail lashing as she eyed the nest of mice she had found. Creeping a paw out, towards the creatures, she waited until a few of the rodents left the overcrowded den. Three finally scampered out, probably a scavenging party, and she batted them each quickly, stunning them all. She bit all their tails at once and shook them violently. Their quaking breaths ceased and Onyx bit her tongue. She didn't like hunting the helpless creatures, though she was quite good at it. She had made a habit of leaving payment, and so she raided a squirrel hole where there had been plenty of nuts. Dropping the dead mice, she backed into the bushes to retrieve the various nuts. Onyx headed back forwards to deposit the nuts in front of the tiny mouse burrow, when she paused at a scuffling. Dropping to hunter's stance, nuts in her beak, she moved towards the sound. Another mouse had emerged from the hole and was moving out! However, the wind blew the scent of death from her previous catch to the mouse. Squeaking panicked, it fled in the opposite direction. Onyx shrugged inwardly. _No use losing a meal you could have had._ Spitting the nuts and their horrendous taste out of her beak, she pounced towards her future meal. It ran into a clearing and she skidded to a stop before entering, the lucky mouse passing through without notice. Onyx's eyes widened in shock, fear, and wonder as she saw a flock of GRIFFIN CUBS through a gap in the bush. A gasp escaped her and she held her breath to see if any of the griffins had noticed.

* * *

Figuring she could no longer be of use, Larimar curled up and tucked her head back under her wing to go to sleep. _The mountains._ Her heart thrummed at the though of adventure. Was she excited? Eager? Maybe she was just scared. Her instincts were telling her to stop worrying about the future and just get some rest. She had to heal before she could help her friends. The constant, unending pain in her side no longer dominated her mind. Now that she was calm, she could focus on other things and distract herself from it.

No matter how hard she tried, she simply could not force herself to fall asleep. She was too worried about Shiny, about the plan, maybe even a little about Frosti. Peeking out from under her wing, she looked out at the dark sky. Her gaze drifted over to Skah. He was probably right (He almost always was. That was another thing she really liked about him.) but a sliver of doubt still lingered in her mind. True, the mountains could provide many things that the forest never could, but what about the journey there? Would they be able to make it there before a predator or accident got them? They seemed so far away.

 _No_ , she told herself firmly. _Trust Skah. Skah has to be right. He's always a good leader._ She shivered as a cool breeze swept through the cave. _You can always trust Skah and Ghost._ She trusted his judgment. She had to; who else could she depend on to lead the flock? She thought back to when it was just her, Flocke, and Lolly. Skah and Ghost had been the ones to teach them to hunt and fight. Surely they were the best bet for leaders, not that magical striped hen who claimed to be helping them.

She closed her eyes again, but all that she dreamed about was falling. Falling from the tallest tree in the world with no-one to catch her and no-one to care if she died.

As dreams usually went, she managed to wake up before she hit the ground. Her eyes snapped open, and for a moment she thought she saw another pair of eyes glistening back at her from the other side of the camp. _Griffin eyes._ She blinked, figuring her sight just had to adjust. The eyes were still there. _Another cub?!_ She let out a raspy croak of alarm.


	80. - - Part VI, Chapter 69

**Chapter 69**

Onyx blinked at the cream-feathered cub and rustled her feathers, frightened, but when the griffin let out the hoarse cry, she was more concerned than scared. Tentatively, she crept out from behind the bushes, flinching as the pale griffin watched her.

* * *

Flocke watched as Ghost walked past them to the river with a bit of worry. Her silence was off putting for some reason, and he immediately felt like something had happened. However, the main thought that was running through his head was, _where is Shiny?_

The worst thought was the first thing that ran across Flocke's mind: Was he dead?

He most certainly hoped not. He wanted very badly for this day to end without any more blood.

Glancing at Skah, Flocke judged that the older male wasn't going to comfort Ghost, so he decided it was best that he didn't either. He turned to walk back to the den, a little more worried than when he left it, when he heard the faintest gasp.

His ears perked, and he stopped immediately. Lifting his head, Flocke's ears swiveled around to locate where the sound had come from, but the noise didn't repeat itself. He was just about to give up when he heard Larimar's croak. He quickly turned to her, for some reason fearing the worse, only to see her staring intently into some somewhat distant bushes.

"What is it?" he asked her quietly as he walked over to her. He tried to see where she was looking, but his eyesight was, apparently, not as well tuned as it should have been at that moment.

"What do you see?" he asked again, straining his eyes to see the phantom that had spooked his friend. When a cub suddenly crept out from beneath, he couldn't help but open his beak in shock.

 _Another one?!_

* * *

Noticing the other griffins enter the clearing, Onyx jumped behind a conveniently placed log. _Nice going, Onyx, now they think you're a coward!_ she thought. With a shaky breath she said, "Hi," before ducking even lower. Gathering her courage, she got up and marched herself around the fallen tree, trembling the whole time. "I'm Onyx," she managed to squeak before going quiet again, her dark eyes flitting around anxiously, accompanied by her feathers raising awkwardly. "And you're the blue-eyed cub."

* * *

 _"Blue-eyed cub?"_ Flocke thought while looking at Larimar. Her eyes were green. Duh- he knew that. So... Onyx, right?... was talking about him? While his reflection in water was vague, he does somewhat remember how his eyes would blend in with it. It was possible that his eyes were blue, just as his chick feathers had been. He decided to go with it.

"You're... talking about me, right? Um... I'm Flocke." he said kindly as he took a couple of steps forward. He momentarily motioned back towards Larimar. "And the green-eyed cub there is Larimar." He then motioned to the rest of the group behind them- they seemed to not have noticed this new cub yet. "And we're with them. Are you with anyone?"

* * *

"Me? No, I'm not with anyone. Larimar - may I call you Lar? - I'm sorry for frightening you. It's just I haven't ever seen anyone of my kind since I was separated from my flock when I was a chick and a dead chick's body. The chick's name was Rourke, he was my brother, I never got to meet him... So no, I'm not with anyone, um, Flocke, was it?" Onyx suddenly started blabbering about the attack and the dream and the blue-eyed cub reference and the sacred place. Suddenly she stopped herself. _I've known this guy for a minute and I'm already pouring my heart out to him? Ugh_ , she thought angrily.

* * *

Larimar started to rise, her hackles fluffed up defensively. A wave of pain suddenly slammed into her from nowhere. Her breath hitched, the smallest shift in her position causing her ribs to ache again. She tried to hide her obvious distress and managed to hold back a scream. Her beak clenched, she glared at the dark cub before them.

The cream cub's eyes glittered with suspicion. She didn't even try to hide it. After all she had been through the previous day, she was definitely never going to trust a stranger ever again. "No," she snarled, giving Flocke a warning glance that said _She could be trouble._ "My. Name. Is. Larimar."

She sat up, her eyes brimming with tears from the strain on her injury. "How do you know Flocke?" she snapped. Her tail lashed and her crest was raised viciously. The strange cub's words started to sink in, and Larimar thought back to autumn. That name...she remembered shouting that name...she remembered Lolly...

"Rourke..." she whispered softly. Her confusion turned back to anger. "What...?! Who are you?!"

* * *

Onyx bristled in disgust. "What do you mean how do you know Flocke? He just introduced himself _in front of your face_." Onyx gasped at herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. and yes, I'm Rourke's sister. He hadn't even hatched when I left. Even through the shell, he had heard Mother's pet name for him?" A smile filled her face. It didn't last long. "How do you know him? Who are _you_?"

* * *

Larimar sniffed haughtily, her pride now as wounded as her flesh. "You said he was _the_ blue-eyed cub. Were you just looking for random blue-eyed cubs or something?" Her voice was a low hiss, but that was mostly from pain rather than anger. She ignored the cub's question. Talking about death always brought her down, so she did her best to avoid the subject of Rourke even among friends. She held her wings close to her sides, trying to hide her injuries.

* * *

"What's got _your_ feathers all up in a twist? I was never mean to you! And didn't I just explain my dream? It was my mother who told me. A-At least... I think so..."

* * *

Being caught between two females as they fought made Flocke somewhat uncomfortable. He didn't understand why Larimar was being rude to this cub- after all, they'd only just met. He felt like he could trust her, and so far his gut had been right when meeting new cubs.

Gladiolus had just _looked_ cruel. This cub didn't seem the same. He felt like she was only trying to be friends.

Then she mentioned Rourke.

Flocke never forgot Rourke, and he knew he never would. He had been the first male Flocke had met, and even though they knew each other for only a short time, he'd like to say that they had some level of a brotherly bond. He could only guess that this feeling was because he was supposed to bond with the first chicks he met, because they were supposed to be his siblings.

Even so, he would never forget how the chick just vanished, with the only clue to his disappearance being the terribly vague stench of blood in the air.

Thinking of Rourke also reminded him of Lolly, and thinking of how they had lost track of her during winter- eerily similar to how they had lost track of Rourke- only aided in nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

Quickly clearing his throat and forcing the tears back, he finally faced the situation before him. This cub knew Rourke's name, and claimed to be his sister. That was enough for him to trust her. He faced Larimar and spoke with a rare confident voice.

"Larry- We can trust her." He just knew. "We were the only ones who knew about Rourke before... you know. She couldn't have learned his name unless she knew his mother- I believe she really is his sister."

He went to speak to Onyx before deciding to add something and turned back to Larimar.

"Just... trust me, okay?" He was about to look away again when he caught sight of Larimar's injuries.

 _Oh..._ he thought. _So that's why she's so tense._ He gave her a comforting smile.

"Calm down and rest, okay? I don't want you to hurt yourself. I do enough of that for the both of us!" He laughed slightly at his little joke, before finally turning to Onyx.

"We met Rourke after we all hatched. It was just Larimar, Lolly Rourke and I that first day." he looked down as he continued, saddened about what he was about to say. He was about to break the silent promise the three had made that day: Don't think about it, don't talk about it. "Rourke disappeared while we were eating, and there was a vague smell of blood afterwards. He's... probably dead. I think something got him."

He looked back up and did his best to give Onyx the same comforting smile that he'd just given Larimar, but his eyes shone sorrow, somewhat ruining the effect.

"Sorry." He was unsure of whether he was saying this to Onyx, Larimar, or himself.


	81. - - Part VI, Chapter 70

**Chapter 70**

Seeing how calm Flocke was about the whole thing, Larimar started to back down. "It doesn't make sense, though," she insisted. "Why would a dream tell you about Flocke? Dreams don't work like that." Her mind flashed back to her recent nightmare. If there was anything she DIDN'T want happening now, it was the line between dreams and reality becoming blurred enough for one to slip into the other.

* * *

Onyx lowered her feathers as Flocke spoke up, and pawed the ground nervously as Larimar concluded the argument. "Thing is, I don't know. I haven't even had dreams since the one nightmare I had after the attack. I don't know anything about dreams. But whatever it meant, real or not, I can recognize my own mother's voice. And Rourke... He sounded like my brother. He disappeared long before the attack, but I can remember him."

Onyx thought for a moment, thinking carefully about wording. "Do you have a sacred place? And... and if you do, can I visit it?" She cringed, ready for the outburst that was bound to happen after the intrusion of the flock's privacy.

* * *

The cream colored cub bit back another skeptical quip. "No, I'm afraid we've only been here since the beginning of winter. It...isn't our permanent home." She laid back down again. There was no immediate threat, but she still didn't feel like trusting this cub. The events of the last day had proven that even most innocent and well-meaning of strangers could bring danger back upon her friends.

"I'm sure we've all had dreams of our mothers," she said bitterly, turning her emerald eyes to Flocke for confirmation. _That doesn't mean they're going to come true_ , she thought gloomily.

* * *

Onyx retreaded to the nearest tree and dug a hole under its roots, happy to actually sleep at night this time. Backing in so only her head was visible, she watched the others. Larimar seemed a bit touchy, but reliable and possibly a friend later on. Flocke was very nice to her, and if he was with Larimar, then she was good, too. She was under the impression that there were others, but when Flocke had gestured behind him, her view had been obstructed by bushes. She began to wonder who they were and how many, but sleep soon overtook her sleep-deprived mind.

* * *

"Nobody has flocks these days." said Flasher sadly. "The humans have all driven us apart so that we can no longer enjoy safety in numbers. It's all part of their plan to wipe out the griffin race, but I know they will never win. Most of the griffins have already fled into the mountains. The humans can never get there because the ground and cliffs are too treacherous on foot. When you finally get to fly, I will take you and all of your friends there. Travelling by wing may just as well be the best way."

* * *

Flaw had long since dozed off next to the larger cub that laid next to him as a protector. Lock watched the younger cub for a moment before he carefully crept away from him and stretched out, shaking his fur out of loose dirt and debris. The cub looked from cub to cub from where he was standing, or looking at the ones he could see. He watched each for a mere moment before he carefully walked his way into the cave to check up on those inside. His talons clacked softly over the stone as he made his way inside, pausing when he saw Flocke standing there as though frozen, and Larimar bristled but laying down. "Is something wrong?" The purple-eyed cub asked as he walked closer.

* * *

Flocke hadn't said anything so far for two reasons: One, he didn't really know what to say. And two, he didn't really _want_ to say anything anyway. He remembered his dream from before- a beautiful voice telling him to help the others find a special place. That one of them- the voice made it sound like a male- would guide them to this place, and that Flocke had to help convince the others to follow.

But now this female cub was saying that she had a dream two- one very similar to his? It confused him somewhat. He no longer knew whether the voice had been talking about a girl or a boy. Then again, Onyx didn't make it sound like she knew where to go...

Flocke suddenly remembered the group's earlier discussion about going to the mountain.

Was that it? If so, did that mean that Skah was the one that was leading them to the special place? Flocke was very confused. Had he missed the moment the voice had told him about? Or was he thinking ahead, and worrying over nothing. Flocke didn't know, and it was bringing his headache back.

When Lock walked up and spoke, it startled Flocke. He turned to see the older male and calmed himself.

"Er... I don't think so. But... There's a new cub." He pointed over to the resting cub in the brush. "Her name is Onyx, and she and Larimar didn't really get along." He motioned with his head to the also resting Larimar.

"She might be related to Rourke- the other chick that Larimar, Lolly and me used to know. She also says she had a dream about him, and her mother, telling her to find me and a special place. I don't know why though..." Flocke decided he didn't want to tell the others about his own dream yet. He didn't want to risk sounding crazy just yet.

Finally having had enough of the day, Flocke decided it was time for everyone to sleep. The sun was setting, and the day was- according to their normal days- officially ending. He walked around to tell everyone goodnight.

"Goodnight Lock" he said before going over to Onyx. "Goodnight Onyx- We'll introduce you to the others tomorrow morning." He then walked to Larimar.

"Goodnight Larry!" he cheered lovingly to his friend. He would come back to lay next to her when he was done making sure everyone was going to sleep.

He noticed Flaw already asleep, and simply whispered his goodnight to him, not wanting to wake him up. He called a goodnight to Ghost, but otherwise let her be, and made his way to Skah.

"I'll stay up to watch for predators tonight- and to wait up for Shiny. You can sleep if you want." Flocke honestly liked staying up, even when he was tired. He enjoyed the stars more than he did the day, and right now he really needed the comfort. Not to mention, he enjoyed singing softly while everyone slept.

* * *

Larimar shot Flocke an icy glare. "I thought I said not to...oh, whatever!" She dramatically flung her wing back over her head, giving up on trying to reason with anyone for the night. She couldn't make herself _hate_ Flocke. He was her best friend, but she was in a foul mood and felt like making everyone around her feel the same way. And that Onyx cub...just when she'd thought she had convinced herself to stop worrying about Shiny, a new griffin had to show up and throw everything back into chaos. Why was everything always changing?

* * *

Onyx nodded as Flocke bid her goodnight, but couldn't sleep. She gazed at the stars until she was in a half-sleeping trance. What gradually tore her away from the mesmerizing view was a beautiful song. It began as humming, but grew into words that she did not care to recognize. Onyx began to involuntarily sway, humming quietly to herself until she sung herself to sleep, collapsing on the damp earth in her hole.

* * *

Ghost was completely occupied by her own thoughts and didn't hear Flockes good night call. She had curled up, her face turned skyward. Her talons were idly scratching away at the stone in front of her. She stayed that way for several minutes until her body and mind relaxed enough that she slipped into unconsciousness. Her dreams were filled with shifting shapes dancing around stone pillars calling her name constantly. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't quite catch any of them.

Skah was similarly lost in thought until Flocke approached him. He looked up at the younger male, and felt something he hadn't ever felt for him before. It was a sense of protection, that Flocke had his back. And oddly he had Flockes. He hummed softly in reply but made no move away, instead he flicked his beak at the ground below him, indicating that he should take a seat. It was still below him though, afterall he was in charge.


	82. - - Part VI, Chapter 71

**Chapter 71**

Shiny's limbs began to feel like lead. He clawed his way through a small bush and slowly made his way into the clearing. The first thing he felt upon seeing his friends was relief. He hadn't been gone very long, but he couldn't help but be grateful that nothing was wrong. Then the dread returned. His throat clenched up and he couldn't speak. Of course they were going to be mad at him! Skah and Ghost had already made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with Flasher, and the others were probably sick of dealing with the magical griffins.

What if they decided he was also too troublesome? _No. Frosti is going to_ die _. If you don't help her, it'll be your fault._ Shiny sat down in plain sight of the whole flock. "I'm back," he announced flatly. He stared straight at Matoskah, his head lowered in submission and his face blank.

* * *

Onyx, in her dream, was stargazing. She could see millions of the little shimmering lights. They blazed brightly, mostly in shades of whites and yellows, but also in vibrant blues and pinks and reds that she had never seen in the sky. A speck of light disappeared. The entire scene grew slightly darker. _Well, that's weird_ , Onyx thought, puzzled. A cluster of stars slid over to hide the missing star's absence. Then, on the far side of the sky, another star disappeared, and another star cluster filled its place. This continued to happen with increasing speed until only a single star blazed brightly in the jet-black darkness. Onyx followed it with her eyes as it zipped around, trying to find which star's place it should conceal. It seemed to give up.

It moved towards herself, crossing the horizon onto land, the boundary dissolving. Onyx looked at what she thought was the last thing in the world, that one single star. Then... it disappeared.

Days passed. The sun never rose again, for it had disappeared, too. Nothing existed anymore except Onyx. But wait! The scene lightened, just slightly. She saw shadows of writhing shapes in the darkness. Her dream ended and she entered a lighter form of sleep. For a few seconds, she could think. _Something tells me that wasn't just a dream_. Then, darkness once more.

* * *

With Skah's affirming hum, Flocke smiled before sitting down to begin his sentry duty. He watched the forest as he listened to the nearby river and the nocturnal creatures that were beginning to wake up; constantly aware of whenever something raced out of a bush or tree, only to disappear again seconds later.

However, when one slow movement didn't leave the corner of his eye, he was ecstatic to turn around and see Shiny.

"Thank goodness!" he exclaimed quietly, before standing to greet the younger cub.

"I was worried when Ghost came back without you- are you okay? Did you find that other cub you went to look for?" Flocke would have continued his questioning, but the sight of a large griffin hen following behind Shiny stopped him.

An adult.

There was an adult griffin... standing right there.

Flocke's beak practically hit the ground. As surprising as seeing something that was basically the answer to all his problems, it was the sheer size of the creature he'd only ever imagined about, that truly stunned him.

"Whoa, that's big..." he mumbled just loud enough for them to hear. He was too awed to do anything else.

* * *

"Yes," Shiny replied to both questions in the same rather emotionless tone. "She's in trouble. We...I need to help her," his voice faltered as he wondered whether or not Flocke was willing to save Frosti with him. Flocke was one of the kindest and boldest griffins that he knew. Shiny hoped that the blue-eyed cub would at least give her a chance.

Noticing Flocke's surprise, he turned around. Flasher was behind him, still carrying a very sick Frosti. At least, he assumed that white blob mixed with the big gray one was Frosti. His vision was starting to blur from pain and exhaustion, and Flocke's voice was becoming garbled and distant. Shiny knew he would not be able to function much longer. The marathon of a day he'd just had was finally catching up with him.

 _Have to...I have to make them trust her first...can't let her die...can't fail again..._

"That's Flasher," he said. Was it just his overworked brain starting to fail, or did his voice really sound so calm and mature? "Frosti...the white cub is Frosti. She was attacked. Help her...Flocke, we have to help her. Listen to me. Flocke, she's in trouble...she's in trouble..."

He staggered toward the other cubs. The temptation of sleep was becoming irresistible. He wanted to close his eyes and never open them again. He sat down again, knowing that he would only fall if he tried to take another step.

* * *

Flocke was brought out of his stupor by Shiny's tired voice. The poor cub sounded exhausted and the worry in his voice pulled at Flocke's heart painfully.

Who cared if Skah didn't want to help them. If Shiny was this worried about them, then Flocke would help. With determination, he turned back to Flasher. He held down his excitement and nervousness at the concept of talking to an adult, even though he was jumping up and down energetically on the inside.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, hoping that, whatever it was, he could help it. After all, if Flasher couldn't, then how could the less experienced know what to do?

* * *

Haze stumbled through the darkness, his dark brown eyes glittering with unshed tears. He had to find his mother before something terrible found _him_. How many times had she warned him not to get lost? "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry, Mommy."

He found a small stream and started following it. Haze scanned the surrounding forest, searching for even the smallest sign of a griffin. Even if he couldn't find his mom, he remembered the stories she told him about other flocks of griffins who nested together and lived like one big family. Perhaps they would take pity on him if he found them.

 _Squish._ Haze glanced down and saw his foot starting to sink into some mud. _Wait_ , he thought, a sudden idea popping into his head. _I need to look for tracks!_ He started watching the ground as well as the sky, his eyes straining to look for imprints using only the moonlight. He went on like this for a while. Every once and a while he would see what he thought were claw marks in the mud or a flash of wings up above, but it always turned out to be something else.

Just when he felt like giving up, he found them. Paw prints. HUGE paw prints. They looked almost exactly like the marks left by his mother's hind paws. He studied them closely and noticed that there were no bird-like claw marks among them. That was odd. He placed his hind paw on top of one of the prints. They were much too large to be made by a bobcat, and that was the only animal he knew that left paw prints like a griffin's.

He followed the trail away from the water. It was harder to see the prints in the dry dirt, but he was careful not to loose track of them. The fact that they were all feline made him uneasy. _Why would a griffin leave only half of their footprints?_ he wondered. He agonized over this question for several minutes. Haze wasn't sure whether to trust the tracks or not. What if some other sort of beast was leaving them, one that ate griffin cubs? But if he didn't find another griffin soon, he was surely doomed.

"I guess it's worth a quick look," he said aloud. Talking to himself sometimes helped him feel less alone. He broke into a reluctant jog and started looking for the maker of the prints.

He came across a den that was _definitely_ not a griffin's. Griffins laid their eggs in nests, not in little caves like this. Then again, the only other griffin he knew was his mother. Maybe other griffins just did things differently? Still, the smell coming out of the den was weird. It was similar to griffins, but not quite the same...

Haze started to leave, but then he heard a short chirping noise. He turned back around, intrigued. Another mewl came out of the den, a short "Eeee-ow" noise. It sounded a little like the noises he used to make as a chick. He crept closer. Two fluffy shapes were rolling around inside the cave...playing. They were acting like he used to, pouncing on each other and batting at things with their forefeet.

"Hello?" he asked them, hoping they would understand. One of the cubs looked at him. That settled it. These were _not_ griffins. It had a speckled face covered in fur. Instead of a beak, it had a small muzzle, nose, and whiskers. There were no wings on its back, and its forelegs ended in mammalian paws. It had not a single feather on its furry body. "Wow!" Haze exclaimed. "You're...weird!"

The other cub turned to face him. Haze walked into the den, his curiosity temporarily erasing his fear. There were only two of them. He figured they were younger than him since they were so small. The cats seemed just as confused by his face as he was with theirs. They made the same odd "chirps" as before and watched him intently.

The slightly larger cat hesitantly raised a paw and swatted him. Haze stepped back. His hackles bristled with fear. However, the cougar cub didn't attack. It only batted Haze's head with its own and made a weird "prrrrrrr" sound. The other one also approached him, making the same friendly sound in its throat.

"You want me to...play with you?" Haze raised a paw and gently prodded the baby cougar. It hit him back, its claws too small to do any damage. They exchanged a few more mock blows, and the shy cub even joined in.

For the first time in his life, Haze was playing with other children. Sure, they were a completely different species. He couldn't even talk to them. Something about it just felt right to him. Haze's adoptive mother was the only griffin he'd ever known. Deep inside, he needed someone who was his age. He needed friends to grow up with. He loved his mommy, but he realized now that he needed something more...

 _A flock._ One of the cats jumped on him, hissing unthreateningly. Haze growled back halfheartedly. _I don't belong here. These creatures are not my flock. He smiled sadly. I guess they're not bad, though. They're just different. Maybe they'll-  
_  
A low, malicious growl suddenly filled the air. Every single feather on Haze's body rose as a chill passed through him. He felt his bones rattle and his wings stand straight up. He slowly backed away from the mountain lion cubs. Before him, at the entrance to the den, stood the most terrifying creature the young griffin had ever beheld.

It was almost as large as a full-grown griffin. The first thing Haze saw were its bared teeth. Stained red from a recent kill, they were sharp, long, and perfect for killing. It's dark, rounded ears were pinned back, and its pale, hate-filled eyes bored into Haze. Muscles rippled beneath its light brown coat.

Haze's new playmates did not seem at all alarmed by the monster's arrival. In fact, they stopped their game and ran toward it! Haze noticed how similar their furry faces were to the larger cat's and how their movements mimicked the way it slunk. His stomach churned. He couldn't help it; he let out a scream of horror and despair.

He'd finally found a mommy, but it wasn't his own.


	83. - - Part VI, Chapter 72

**Chapter 72**

Onyx resumed her dream. The writhing shape came into focus. A large griffin was confronting a griffin of an age similar to hers. Only... What was wrong with the griffin? It was huge, it had paws... Paws, not talons! And no wings or beak, either! Now that Onyx was looking, the big cat did NOT look like a griffin in the slightest. The cub screamed, a wail of despair, shock, and horror. Onyx screamed herself, in reality, as the terror of the cub became her own, and she jolted awake.

* * *

Larimar opened a single eye to glare at Onyx. "Can you keep it down?" she huffed, punctuating each word with a thwack of her tail on the dirt floor. She coughed violently and rolled over to face the wall of the cave. A white shape outside caught her eye.

"Frosti?" she wheezed. Oh, joy! she thought sarcastically. _She's back._ Shiny was also outside, talking to Flocke. The sight of her younger friend calmed Larimar down significantly. _Shiny's back. Shiny's safe._ She smiled inwardly. Forgetting about her quarrel with Flasher and FrostFire, she closed her eyes and was able to rest in peace.

* * *

Blizzard stumbled over a stone, balancing precariously as she struggled to maintain her balance. The rocky terrain made it hard to walk, not to mention playfight! Still, the boys insisted on tumbling over the sharp rocks. Thunder said that if you don't have fun, your brain would lock itself up and never come back. "And you're no fun, so I have to play with Sunhigh," he had teased. "Whatever," huffed Blizzard. None of it mattered in the slightest. The boys did their own thing all the time, without Blizzard, but most of it was actually showing off for her. Which she could really live without.

Still on the boulder, Blizzard watched the two cubs writhe, tangled around each other. One moment, Sunhigh had Thunder pinned to the floor, the other, he came out on top. They weren't really doing any damage, but the rocks scratched them as if it were their only purpose. Blizzard sighed. She turned around, looking to see if she could find a place to spend the night. _Nothing... nothing... more nothing... THERE!_ A cave! and not too far, either. She headed off in that direction, certain the others would follow her.

* * *

Thunder was trying to pin Sunhigh down as he had done to him. He wasn't paying attention to Blizzard anymore, probably because he could see foot prints coming from the mud near them. "Uh... Sunhigh, I've found something that you might want to see...," murmured Thunder. Sunhigh stared at him. "You're just lying. You just want me to stop paying attention," he gasped. "No I'm not lying, LOOK!" bellowed Thunder.

Sunhigh looked at where he was looking and saw muddy paw prints, "Blizzard we've found paw prints!," Sunhigh called. Blizzard, walked over to them, wondering if they were lying or not. Once she got there, she was surprised to see they weren't lying, or joking around.

They started at the paw prints following them through the night. Once the paw prints stopped they found bushes, they hid in them. they were looking at another griffin cub. "Let me talk to him," whispered Thunder. "No, we shouldn't," Blizzard whispered back at him.

* * *

"Sorry," Onyx whispered. She looked up at where Flocke was standing, and gasped. A limp figure, a white cub, was being held by a large, tiger-striped griffin. An adult! But... had the adult hurt the cub? She had a jagged gash in her side. It looked deep. Too deep. The griffin would never make it - if it was even still alive. There was some sort of black sludge dripping thickly, like honey, out of the wound. Some sort of... venom? She leapt to her feet and dashed towards the griffins. " _What did you do to her?_ " she hissed. She looked up at the hen for answer. " _Well?_ "

* * *

The mother puma snarled and swung her mighty paw at Haze. Wicked claws sliced through the air. Haze managed to avoid getting torn open by darting aside and bolting from the den. The big cat was right on his heels, using her powerful hind legs to pounce toward him. Her claws missed him by less than a foot. If she had struck him, Haze knew it would have been fatal. He fled the scene, his paws flying out from under him as he ran across a patch of damp grass.

Haze dove into a patch of bushes, hoping to confuse the lion for a moment. That thing was so fast; he could never outrun it! He felt himself starting to freeze up. _What do I do? What do I do? WHAT DO I DO?_ He fought his way through the thick vegetation. The sound of rustling leaves and breaking branches let him know that the puma was still on his trail. _It probably thought I was attacking its babies and wants to be rid of me for good._

Too panicked to watch where he was going, he ran right into another griffin cub. Haze didn't have time to be amazed that he had finally found another of his species. "Run!" He shouted to the other...three. He took a moment to get a better look at his surroundings and noticed two more cubs. Haze shook his head. He had no time for this! "It's after me! RUN!"

* * *

The three of them ran with Haze 'til Blizzard ran the opposite direction ," ARE YOU CRAZY COME THIS WAY THAT'S A DEAD END!" thundered Sunhigh. "I have an idea you nuthead," Blizzard yelled as she ran towards boulders.

She pushed the boulders smashing it on the puma's head, making it nock over and fall. Wounded, the puma squealed and squealed. The four of them started to run at the cave Blizzard found when the boys were 'fighting each other'.

Not noticing what they were running past, they ran in making it seem like nothing happened. Thunder started to assume that the puma was still nocked out.

"we should probably get some rest, it might come back" murmured Sunhigh. "Maybe you think that but it was nocked out cold" Thunder said as he walked to find a place to sleep in the cave.

* * *

No response from the striped griffin. "Hmmph," huffed Onyx as she tore the cub from the hen's grasp. She was obviously hurt badly, but Onyx thought she might be able to do something. She lowered a talon into the tar-like venom. It had a consistency like honey, so it stuck to everything. Onyx tried to clean some out, but to no avail. She was only able to get a fraction of the venom out, but it was enough to clean the wound a bit. She used a leaf to wipe the blackened blood from the edges of the gash, and stemmed the bleeding with a clawful of grass so soft it was worthy of a golf course. Onyx pressed a large leaf to the injury and wound a thin, strong vine around it to hold it tight. Lucky for the young griffin, the cut did not go all the way through her. She might actually make it! Onyx tried to clean several other small scratches, but gave up. There must have been millions of them! Onyx stepped back and reviewed her work. The cub looked considerably better, save for the fact that she was unconscious and still pretty badly mangled. _Well, that'll do for now._

* * *

Flocke had been momentarily stunned when Onyx yelled at Flasher. He gaped for words, but none came to mind. He suspected Flasher was in the same state, seeing as she didn't do much when Frosti was pulled from her grasp.

He watched, still slightly dumbstruck, as Onyx tried to clean the wounds. The most prominent one being the stab wound on her back.

The care Onyx put into helping the white reminded Flocke of Tulip. He remembered the herbs she had used on him, and thought, for a moment, that he might be able to replicate what she did. However, he didn't remember what the plants she used had looked like.

With a small annoyed grunt, he walked over to Onyx to calm her- she still seemed upset.

"Flasher didn't do this. She was taking care of her." he said calmly. In all honesty, he could understand why Onyx was acting suspicious of the hen. It was only natural to feel that way when confronting a stronger being. Especially when said being was of the same species.

Looking back down to Frosti, he reminded himself of what was currently important.

"We'll clean her wounds with the water from the river. Afterwards, we can let her sleep in the den. Hopefully, she'll wake up. If not..." he took a quick glance at Skah and Larimar. "The others will probably want to leave her behind..."

He didn't like to think that his friends would do that, but he had to face the facts. They weren't partial to Frosti, let alone Flasher- They'd have no qualms about leaving the two while Frosti lay dying.

He hoped they could help the cub before that happened, but he held much doubt. The would looked bad and it held a foreign sent that screamed death. He just knew the others wouldn't want to stay for a "lost cause".

He turned one more to Flasher.

"You can do what you want while we clean her up- though I suggest you stay away from the others for now... In the morning... We'll figure out the rest in the morning." Without waiting for a response, Flocke began moving Frosti to the river. He only looked momentarily at Onyx to give her a silent plea for help in moving the unconscious cub.

* * *

Tulip was in _pain_. Her entire body hurt, and her vision was terribly blurry; the dark of dusk wasn't helping.

Ever since that afternoon she'd been running. Now, bloodied and dehydrated, she hardly remembered why. Red eyes- pain- blood- laughter- running- short of breath- _pain_. She was sure that if she looked back, she'd see a monster on her heels. She didn't even realize how far she'd run, and that her assailant had given up miles ago.

The only thing that registered in her mind was the pain... and the change of leaves and grass beneath her paws, to dirt and twigs.

Finally, she tripped. She tumbled and fell through some thorny bushes- said thorns snagging in her fur- and when she stopped, she just lay there. She took deep breaths, and shook as if it were the dead of winter.

During one intake of breath, pain struck the back of her throat and forced her to cough. It was terrible and rough; she gagged at one point, which caused mucus and a small amount of vomit to escape her.

When she finally relaxed her throat spasms, she did her best to get a look at her surroundings. Bushes and rocks. _Big_ rocks. And the large mountain she was on definitely wasn't there the last time she had checked.

Suddenly, pain shot through her spine and to her core. She gasped and cried out, tears already flooding her eyes as she collapsed further. When she got hold of the pain, she hesitantly looked back to see the problem.

She hadn't taken the time to check before- she was too scared that the being she had called brother would kill her- so what she now saw both surprised and overwhelmed her with renewed terror.

She puked again. And again.

She would have continued, but there was nothing left to heave up. The tears in her eyes fell freely, and she suspected that they'd never stop.

Her very being was ruined- Her life suddenly seemed pointless- and she was all the more weak and useless now.

She was certain to go into a long fit of self-pity, when she heard something.

A growl.

Fear overcame her again as she shot up. However, her earlier adrenaline had left, and no longer hid her pain- it crippled her to the ground once more as she frantically searched for red eyes.

But there were none. Just a few bushes, some boulders and the breeze. A breeze that brought the sound of an annoyed animal to her ears.

Curious, and unafraid of anything that wasn't her brother, Tulip carefully and slowly stood. She then gently made her way over to a view point to see what was going on.

A mountain lion was lying less than ten feet away, and it was upsettingly pawing at its head- seemingly in pain.

Tulip stayed still, and was about to turn and leave, when the pain in her shoulder attacked once again. This time, it momentarily blinded her. She stumbled and fell sideways; landing with a loud "Oof!"

Cringing in pain, she opened her eyes to glance up. She went stalk still at the sight.

The mountain lion, while keeping one eye closed, and with a bloodied forehead, was glaring right at her with one enlarged pupil. Its tail flicked and it looked ready to pounce.

For some reason, Tulip just knew that if she moved it would truly be the death of her. As much as she may have wanted to die just moments ago, she now realized that, that definitely wasn't what she wanted. She couldn't think of anything, but she just knew that she still had so much to live for- wishes to fulfill for herself.

She didn't want to die yet.

"Help..." she said quietly, and then everything went dark.


	84. - - Part VI, Chapter 73

**Chapter 73**

"Hey!" Shiny yelped loudly. He followed Onyx and Flocke, still watching the injured cub with concern. He didn't recognize the new female cub, but there was no time for introductions. Shiny didn't like the way she immediately accused Flasher. He'd had enough of his stubborn friends not seeing eye to eye with him.

When his drowsy mind started to drift back off into sleep, he forced himself back to the present. He stood by Flocke as the older cub cleaned Frosti's wounds. "She'll make it. I know she will," he mumbled, his dark brown eyes glittering with defiant hope.

Meanwhile, Larimar slept. She tossed and turned, her dreams anything but pleasant.

* * *

Haze watched the other cubs settle down in the cave. He didn't even know their names yet. "Uh...thanks," he said, his mind still awhirl with what had just happened. He stood at the entrance to the cave, awkwardly scuffling his paws in the dirt. He wasn't sure whether or not he was welcome to stay with these cubs. Had they just done him a good turn, or were they really inviting him into their flock?

His hackles still prickled with fear at the thought of a cougar still on the prowl. _How long will it stay knocked out?_ he wondered. He strained his ears and thought he heard a growl in the distance. _That was probably just my own paranoia.  
_  
"Hey...guys," he said, uncertain of how he was suppose to address other cubs, "I'm going to go check and see if it's gone." Mostly he just wanted to escape the awkwardness of introducing himself. It was weird; just a moment ago he'd been wishing to meet other griffins. Now he felt awkward and nervous. _What if they don't like me?  
_  
Haze slipped out of the cave. He walked as softly as he could, hoping that he wouldn't wake up the big cat if it was still asleep. He wondered what his mother would think of him now. She would probably call him a fool and punish him for leaving the nest. He could hear her voice in his head, shouting _No more practice hunting for ten days!_ He would have cried and whined, but he deserved it for putting himself in danger. _I'll find her_ , he told himself.

He finally found the spot where they'd left the mountain lion. Sure enough, it was no longer knocked out. It was crouched beside an unfortunate piece of prey, bloody, growling, and very angry. Haze stumbled back in shock. It looked even more scary than before. He forced himself to take another look at it. Maybe the rock had injured it enough to stop it from coming after him.

The first thing he noticed was its prey. There was so much blood that he could hardly tell what it was. He crept closer, expecting to see something horribly mangled and beyond saving.

Haze never shied away from blood. He would tear open the prey his mother caught for him with glee and kill mice and squirrels when he was hungry. He was a predator, born to dine on other creatures. None of this meant he liked killing. He just wanted to eat. Watching another animal kill something...it made him squirm to see it suffering. It was odd since, being so young, he was a sloppy hunter and often unintentionally let the prey feel more pain than it had to. He started to back away, leaving the mountain lion to finish the job some other animal had already started.

Then he saw the wing.

He gasped. This creature had paws and feathers. He saw only one wing, but that was enough for him. This was not a mere rabbit or bobcat. _It's going to kill a_ griffin _! I can't just let her die!_ Haze looked around frantically as the puma advanced on the cub. The griffin wasn't moving. His heart sunk. _What if she's already dead?  
_  
Haze wasn't taking any chances. His instincts tugged at him, urging him to do the 'male' thing and protect his friends. The problem was, he had no flock. He didn't even know this griffin. That didn't matter, though. He still had to do what was right.

"HEY, YOU!" he yelled, charging the mountain lion head on. It was stupid and impulsive, two words Haze never thought would describe him. He knew the lion couldn't understand him, but he was focused on getting its attention off the other cub. "GO AWAY! LEAVE US!" he yelled, flapping his black-tipped wings threateningly.

* * *

Flocke hadn't heard Shiny walk up to him- he was too focused on gently washing water through Frosti's back and wounds- so when the cub suddenly spoke from next to him, he jumped slightly.

"Y-yeah. I'm sure your right." he said, completely doubtful of what he just agreed with.

The stab wound in Frosti's back was repulsive. A small amount of black sludge seemed to be seeping out of it, and the smell was almost strong enough to knock Flocke off his feet. He quickly decided that he really didn't like this. The blood made him feel ill, and the smell was next to forcing him to puke.

To get his mind off of this, he decided to introduce the two cubs next to him, to each other.

"Shiny, this is Onyx. I'm pretty sure she's going to be a part of out flock from now on- I just need to ask Skah..." As he spoke, and slowly realized that they were almost done with cleaning the crimson blood out of Frosti's white feathers.

"And Onyx, this is Shiny. We found him as an egg, and when he hatched he became a part of our flock. He's a little cub with a big heart, isn't that right Shiny?" Flocke asked kindly with a big smile on his face. He really wanted Shiny and Onyx to get off to a good start- he felt like there was already enough stranger-disliking to go around already, what with how Larimar and Skah were acting towards Onyx and Flasher.

"Let's all agree to be friends, yeah?"

* * *

Skah snapped his beak shut making an extremely loud cracking sound in reply to Shinys return. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly when he noticed that Frosti and Flasher were with him, but he didn't say anything. Instead he got to his feet and turned his back to them retreating towards the den. He stretched his wings before making his way inside. Just inside the mouth of the den he stopped, Larry was already inside asleep. He paused to look at her, she didn't look very comfortable. _It must be her wounds_ he thought to himself as she twitched and fidgeted in her sleep.

A gentle sigh whistled out of his beak as Skah smoothly laid down a short way from Larimar. He curled himself up facing the door, placing one eye on it with the other closed. After a few moments he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Shiny let out a forced laugh. "Hey, I'm not even that little anymore." For the first time in a while, he smiled. It was nice to be back with his 'big brother'. He was glad that the others hadn't rejected him. In hindsight, the thought seemed ridiculous. Of course his friends would never abandon him. He felt silly for ever worrying about them being so extreme. Skah clearly wasn't happy about Frosti coming back, but the older cub was tolerating her for now. Shiny took that as a good sign.

He staggered over to Onyx, curious about this new cub. "Hello, Onyx," he said cheerily. He sat down beside her, his eyes already starting to close from tiredness.

* * *

Thunder started to wander what took the other griffin so long. "Guys, maybe we should see what happened to the other griffin?" suggested Thunder. "Maybe... but what if we got lost?" whined Sunhigh. " THAT'S ANOTHER GRIFFIN, WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR BRAINS, ROCKS?" yelled Blizzard.

So the three of them stared at the direction the other griffin went, and not very long after that they were heading that way. "Do you think he died Thunder?" asked Sunhigh. "I don't know, don't want to think about it either," answered Thunder. The two of them went on about that subject.

Blizzard stated to go faster finally 10 yards in front of the boys. The boys caught up to her and went faster. The three of them hit a rock. Head first, they got up and went on the rock seeing that griffin with the other.

Sunhigh got angry and jumped on the giant cat. He started pecking and kicking. The cat came and stuck his teeth into Sunhigh's leg. "OW YOU STUPID CAT!" yelled Sunhigh whining in pain.

Thunder wanted to help, and so he did. He jumped on to the cat and pecked his back. Blizzard was trying to take it down the way she knocked it out. She couldn't find a way.

She finally decided to do what the boys did. She jumped on and pecked it's head. Not very long it was in to much pain to fight them back. It whined back instead of fighting it's last move was a bight to Blizzards wing, instead Thunder jumped in and took the bite. Blood dripping down his wing and Blizzard untouched. Feathers turned red with the blood that was dripping down from him. He whined as well as the cat.

The cat finally fell to the floor but not knocked out, dead. Blood stained on the floor and the trees. the other griffin still didn't move, the one laying on the floor. The three griffins stayed there, Thunder wailing in pain, Sunhigh also wailing in pain (but less pain :P). "There wounds are very bad, they need help, we have to help them, please!" begged Blizzard to the other boy griffin.

* * *

Onyx cringed as Flocke clarified that Flasher was not to blame. She mumbled an apology, looking up from her work. When Flocke began to drag the white cub to the river, she shoved her head under and lifted her half of the griffin, surprised at her own strength. By the time they reached the river, her mouth was dry. Cleaning the young griffin's feathers in the startlingly cold water, she first noticed Shiny. "Hello!" she purred in what she hoped was a pleasant voice.

* * *

Onyx and Flocke (with a little help from Shiny) had hauled Frosti back to camp. She stared at the cub who was so unfairly hurt when she didn't seem to have done anything wrong. With a sigh, she headed into the den, settling next to Larimar as if trying to make peace.


	85. - - Part VI, Chapter 74

**Chapter 74**

The two boys were knocked out as Blizzard was staring, both seeing things in their minds, instead of hearing the noises coming from beyond the trees and bushes. Blizzard and the other griffin frightened that the cat was not dead.

While Thunder and Sunhigh were having the mind illusion, they saw there mothers and siblings... Thunder saw his mother sister and brother... and Sunhigh saw his mother and two sisters.

"You have to get up Sunhigh, you just have to," begged Sunhigh's mother. He was confused how he could see his mother and her speaking when she was dead.

He got up.

* * *

Thunder saw his mother but his brother spoke first. "You have to get up," said Thunder's brother. "I am very proud that you saved the griffin on the floor," spoke Thunder's mother.

He got up.

"I am Blizzard, the one with the bloody wing is Thunder and the one with the bloody leg is Sunhigh, who are you? asked Blizzard.

* * *

"Haze," the faded cub replied quickly. He went around Blizzard to inspect the cub he'd seen the mountain lion attacking. After getting a closer look at her injuries, he felt like throwing up. He gently turned her over, trying to figure out where all the blood was coming from. There was only one wing...

"Oh, dear," Haze muttered woozily. Her wing hadn't been broken or smashed, as he had first suspected. It was completely torn off. She seemed to be breathing okay, but Haze knew that loosing so much blood had to be dangerous. He looked back at the other three cubs, aghast.

* * *

Tulip had a fever- even asleep, she could tell. Her skin burned under her feathers and fur, and she still felt nauseous.

She could hear things going on around her, leading her to believe that she was only half asleep, but try as she might, Tulip couldn't find the strength to get up.

Then she felt herself being turned over. The pain was enough to waken her exhausted mind.

Ever so slowly, she cracked her eyelids open. She saw a dark, speckled cub with brown eyes looking down at her. Having done so earlier that day, she knew what he was doing- he was inspecting her injuries.

But she also knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything. One couldn't just replace a missing limb.

"Ow..." she muttered softly, for the pain shot through her again. She took deep breaths before doing her best to focus on the cub above her.

"Wh- who are you?" she asked with a hoarse throat. She only vaguely noticed that there were other cubs.

* * *

Haze drew back, startled, as the cub started to speak. "I...I'm Haze." He extended a wing to point to the other three. "They, um, they were the ones that saved us," he explained. He preened the covert feathers of his other wing, trying to avert his eyes from her awful injury.

"Did that...thing do this to you?" he asked, gesturing toward the dead puma. His brown gaze met her golden one. _She's really pretty_ , he thought. Then his panic returned and he had no time to think of such things.

* * *

Tulip glanced at the dead feline behind the male cub- the action caused her to move her neck which really didn't help her wing. At all.

"No." she relied before moving back to her original position. She finally looked to see the other three cubs that were standing near by. They saved her? Why would they?

She didn't understand it until she thought of how she saved Flocke earlier. She smiled, remembering those three cubs. She wanted very badly to see them again.

Black to the present- Tulip refocused on the male- Haze?- and decided a conversation would be good for her.

"I... I'm Tulip. My wing-" she shivered, remembering that there was no wing. "Gladiolus took it..." she wondered what he had done with it. He had chased her, so maybe it was just rotting somewhere, or perhaps another animal had found it, and was eating it.

Tears escaped her just at the thought. Her poor wing.

Quickly, so as to not look weak in front of these new cubs, she wiped the tears away and sucked up her sobs.

She couldn't help the shaking though.

Or the dizziness.

* * *

Thunder walked up to Haze. So did Blizzard and Sunhigh. "Tulip was it? Do you need help getting somewhere safe?" asked Blizzard. "Do you need food?" asked Thunder. "Do you need your flock?" asked Sunhigh. They all kept asking questions without Tulip answering them. Blizzard walked back, still afraid if the cat was alive, Thunder was stepping in the blood puddle, and Sunhigh trying to find a way to rest his leg somewhere.

"we all have bad wounds, we should get to the cave." said Blizzard stating to go back the way they came from with Thunder and Sunhigh behind her leaving a trial of blood.

* * *

 _Gladiolus? What's a gladiolus? Or_ who _is Gladiolus?_ Haze shook his head. Too many things were happening at once. His young mind could hardly process everything. Taking a few deep breaths, he did his best to focus. The other three cubs were already starting to head back to their cave.

"Can you walk?" he asked Tulip. He felt strangely guilty for being the only one who wasn't badly injured. Other than some cuts and bruises, he was fine. Blizzard, Thunder, and Sunhigh had done all the fighting while he just screamed in the background.

* * *

Tulip listened to the three unnamed cub's questions, but they walked away before she could really answer. Knowing that her voice wouldn't reach their ears because of how weak it currently was, she just let it go. She didn't feel like talking anyway- she was certain it would make her feel dizzy.

When Haze asked her if she could walk, her head spun at the implication of the pain she'd feel.

 _Weakling..._

She jumped. What was that?

Clenching her beak- tightly- she braced herself for the pain. It wasn't as bad as she expected, but it was still terrible. The world spun for a moment as her legs stumbled around each other.

"Y-yeah..." she replied quietly. She swallowed the pain down, and slowly made the first step. Her right foreleg collapsed beneath her, but she managed to catch herself with the rest of her legs. There was no way she could use that leg, now that the adrenaline had worn off.

Slowly, she limped after the three cubs- she didn't attempt to see if Haze was following, knowing it would cause too much movement than she could handle right now.

She paused only when she saw the bloody paw prints left by one of the cubs. It reminded her of her broth- ex-brother. It reminded her of his excessively bloody "prey".

It also reminded her of his eyes. She could almost swear he was watching her from within the red liquid.

She clenched her beak tighter, and continued forward. When she finally reached the insides of the cave, the first thing she noticed was a glint near the back- which was caused by the light of the moon, which was rising. She never thought she'd be so happy to see that glint.

"Water!" she gasped quietly, before limping quickly over. She ducked her head into the small spring the moment she reached it. She took a gulp and the water cooled her throat. After she finished, she fell into the spring and let the liquid wash away the blood, dirt and thorns that covered her.

It was chilly from the recent winter season, and numbed her wound. She sighed.

It was perfect.


	86. - - Part VI, Chapter 75

**Chapter 75**

Flocke sighed when they finally finished taking care of Frosti. He watched as she slept in the den and smiled. Hopefully she'd be alright now that they had helped a little.

Glancing around, he realized that everyone was more or less going to sleep. Finally.

He turned to Shiny, who was pretty much the only one left awake- although barely.

"Go get some sleep, champ. You look like you could use it." he said with a caring smile. He nuzzled Shiny's side with brotherly affection, before walking over to find a boulder that was just small enough for him to jump onto. Once up, he quickly checked the area for any danger. With none in sight, he glanced over to make sure Flasher was fine- which she seemingly was- and then he looked to the den to make sure everyone was asleep and that Shiny made it in okay.

He smiled, though he didn't really know why. He guessed that he was just happy that they had made it through the day alive. Injured and maimed- but alive. All in all, it was a lucky start to the end of Winter.

Taking a deep breath, Flocke let a soothing tune flow from his beak.

((Safe and Sound- I love this song. ^v^))

"I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, I'll never let you go;  
When all those shadows almost killed your light~  
I remember you said, don't leave me here alone,  
But all that's dead and gone has passed tonight~

Just close your eyes,  
The sun is going down;  
You'll be alright,  
No one can hurt you now;  
Come morning light,  
You and I'll be safe, and sound~

Hold on to this lullaby  
Even when the music's gone~

Gone~

Just close your eyes,  
The sun is going down;  
You'll be alright,  
No one can hurt you now;  
Come morning light,  
You and I'll be safe, and sound~

Ooooo, Oooo~  
Lala, Lala~

Ooooo, Oooo~  
Lala, Lala~

Just close your eyes  
You'll be alright  
Come morning light,  
You and I'll be safe and sound..."

As the last note was sung, Flocke lay down on his stomach before continuing to hum the tune as he watched over the area.

* * *

Shiny buried his beak in the soft feathers of his chest, letting his head droop as he slowly dozed off. He wanted to stay awake and make sure Frosti's condition didn't worsen, but he was so, so tired. _You've done your duty_ , said a soft voice in his head. Everyone's safe. He let himself relax and forget the events of the previous day. Already half asleep, he leaned against Onyx and listed to Flocke's song.

The upbeat melody lifted his spirits, calling him away from the pain and sadness that still weighed down his heart. Through half-closed eyes he studied each member of their motley crew.

 _Just close your eyes..._

Shiny's chocolate brown eyes slid shut. He instantly fell into a deep slumber, his head propped up against Onyx's warm side. He dreamed of the most beautiful hen in the world. Her face was shrouded by shadows, but her presence instantly calmed him. _Mom..._

* * *

Onyx's ears twitched as she heard a song that night, the same voice she had heard earlier. She lifted her head and closed her eyes to listen to it for a second, wondering who it was, as she didn't know it was Flocke and she couldn't see him from here. After a minute, she ducked her head and draped a wing over Shiny and her tail over Larimar and fell back into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

LongLock had wandered around the small flock's encampment as everyone settled for bed; awake from the night, the male had moved away from the others to rest on a rock and look up at the sky, studying the stars and allowed his mind to wander. When a soft singing voice sounded, his ears twitched and he listened to Flocke's gentle voice. The brown cub yawned and stood, stretching himself out before he silently made his way back to Flaw, glancing at the sleeping or resting cubs that were on his way. The male settled down next to his friend, nuzzling into the smaller cub's fur and shifted slightly to drape his wing over his ward. Purple eyes drifted shut as the song ended and the male settled into a deep sleep.

* * *

Haze followed Tulip into the cool water, taking the opportunity to get rid of all the mud that was in his feathers. Once he was done splashing around, he shook himself dry and found himself a place to sleep on the dry floor of the cave. It was a nice place. Maybe it wasn't his nest, but it was as close as he was going to get until he found his mom.

He watched Tulip, still concerned about her wing. Even when the short-term trauma of loosing a limb wore off, flight would be impossible. The very thought of that was shocking to Haze. Griffins belonged in the sky. Every day, his mother reminded him to stretch his wings and practice jumping. Though his wing feathers were not quite developed enough, he looked forward to the day that he, too, would take to the sky.

How could a griffin live with the knowledge that they would never be able to soar?

"So..." he began, his wings fidgeting uneasily, "Tulip...if you don't mind me asking, what happened? What attacked you before that big cat?"

* * *

Tulip was resting her sore bones and beginning to fall asleep in the spring when Haze asked his question. Her body stiffened instantly, as she thought back to Gladiolus. She wondered if she should tell Haze the truth- they had just met, so she wasn't sure she could trust him. But he and the others had saved her, right? Perhaps she should tell the truth.

"Another cub... Gladiolus. He..." _He's my brother..._ "He didn't like me." She just couldn't say that the only being that she was supposed to be able to trust full-heartedly was the very reason for her terrible pain. A half-truth would have to do for now.

"He was a terrible cub... As a chick, he ate other chicks to survive. He doesn't really do that anymore, but he still enjoys hurting and killing others. I got him mad, and he tore my wing off. He chased me, and I ended up running all the way here. I was previously deep in the forest." The moment she said it, she felt better for some reason. It was as if she was finally able to vent her true feelings and thoughts, where before they were suppressed.

She sat for a moment more before deciding that the water was getting too cold, and was no longer pleasurable. She stood and limped out, but then she simply stood and looked around- unsure of what to do with herself. She was used to sleeping next to her brother- even if it did terrify her, it was the only way to stay warm at night. But now, she wasn't sure if any of these cubs would be comfortable with her lying next to them.

So she simply sat, and waited for Haze to finish up. Her injury was still bleeding, but it was slow going. She would fix it up in the morning.

* * *

"Oh," Haze said softly, "That's terrible." He obviously couldn't relate to Tulip, having never gotten such a grievous injury. He didn't really know what to make of her story. It scared him. _So there are bad griffins out there. It's not just other animals I have to look out for, other cubs could hurt me!_ It also made him angry. This Gladiolus cub deserved to die for what he had done to Tulip. Haze knew it would be useless to try to find him. Besides, it wouldn't be wise to go looking for a confrontation. They would just have to keep an eye out for this evil griffin in the future.

Still troubled by Tulip's story, Haze curled back up in his own little corner. Blizzard, Sunhigh, Thunder, and Tulip were all strangers, and, though they were all certainly nice, he felt awkward in the company of so many other cubs. He didn't want to disturb them and make a fuss.

The hard rock and dirt was a lot different than his old nest of soft feathers and leaves. It wasn't bad, he supposed, just a little chilly. Every once and a while a cold breeze would sweep through and make him shiver. It would take some getting used to. Haze shifted around a bit, unable to get to sleep. He looked back up and noticed Tulip was also sitting aside from the main group of three. "Aren't you cold?" he asked.

* * *

Blizzard wondering what to do what to trust... what to wonder about, Thunder wondering if he should bail on Haze and Tulip making a decision wondering if he should do it, and Sunhigh wondering if he should go anywhere at all if he should trust anything at all blinded that he could make a good decision. They wondered what to wonder, if that even made sense to wonder about.

"We have to leave," decided Blizzard as she went tout the hole of the cave. Still wondering about it.


	87. - Book 2, Part VII (Cub Stage D)

**Chicks of Destiny**  
 **Part 2**

* * *

PART VII:

CUB STAGE D

* * *

In which the stage is set  
for a fated journey,  
distant conflict finds resolution,  
and a spark is lit.


	88. - - Part VII, Chapter 76

**Chapter 76**

"A little..." Tulip admitted. She didn't want to lay down to the other three cubs- they seemed to already be close and she didn't want to get in-between that- but she didn't want sleep alone either.

"C-could I... I..." Haze was laying alone, so it seemed like he didn't have ties with the other three.

Like her.

And he was talking to her- he seemed nice. Maybe, if she gave him a chance, he would give her one in return.

Swallowing down her nerves, Tulip attempted her question again.

"Can I lay with you?" she asked quietly. "I'm... I'm used to sleeping next to someone. I... I've never been alone before..." She felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, but somehow managed to hold them back.

She never thought she'd miss the company of her brother.

* * *

 _Cold...  
_  
 **You'll live.**

 _She kept me warm at night..._

 **She also kept you up from squirming too much. You'll get more sleep now.**

 _But I'm cold... and alone..._

 **Alone is better- Safer- No one to stab you in the back.**

 _I'm a little hungry..._

 **You wouldn't be if you had eaten it.**

 _But it was hers..._

 **Not anymore- and you wouldn't be hungry right now if you had eaten it.**

 _Right... I should have eaten it. Some animal probably has it now._

 **Hunt in the morning. There were some fox tracks near that burnt oak.**

 _Yeah... fox. Sounds good..._

 **Now sleep.**

 _Okay..._

 **...**

 _...I'm still cold..._

Gladiolus huddled in on himself tighter. The remaining winter breeze chilled him to the bones, and his only saving grace was that he was big enough to withstand it. But an empty stomach, plus a change in sleeping habits, kept him up for a good few hours more, before he finally closed his eyes to a dreamless sleep.

The only thought that continuously echoed through his head, whether it was his thought or not, was,

 **Survive.**

* * *

Tulip's suggestion surprised Haze, but in the most pleasant way possible. He really missed his mother's warm wing being wrapped around him. He also wanted to get to know these cubs, to become their friend. After Tulip made the first move, he felt a lot less nervous about approaching them.

"Sure!" he said, scooting over and inviting her with a hopeful smile.

* * *

A bright smile lit up Tulip's face. She was slightly surprised that he had said it okay to lay with him, but it was a good surprise.

"Thank you." she said in relief. A little less timid about it, she went over and lay down next him- just close enough so that their body heat would keep each other warm. This was the distance she was used to with Gladiolus, and so she saw no reason to move closer. It never even crossed her mind that it might leave her companion cold or confused at the abnormal "cuddling" distance.

"Goodnight." she said quietly, but sweetly. She was more exhausted than she first thought, and was immediately asleep after she spoke. Her quiet, somewhat ragged breathing was the only auditory clue that she was still injured.

* * *

Haze thought it would be hard to fall asleep, but with Tulip keeping him warm and giving him a sense of security, he quickly drifted off and was lost in a deep slumber. The last thing he heard was her soft "Goodnight". His sleep was refreshing and dreamless. Such a long day was now behind him; he needed a short break from it all. Haze had gone from certain that he would die to surrounded by potential friends in a matter of hours. That kind of action wore a cub out!

In the back of his mind, fear still nagged at him. What if his new group stumbled into more predators? Or worse, those 'human' monsters? What if they met a cub like Gladiolus? Exhaustion soon overtook all of his troubles and he fell into the blissful nothingness of sleep.

* * *

 _Shiny's dream self stared up at the strange hen in awe. Her face was blurry and unfocused, as if he were looking at her through the rippling surface of a pond. Shiny didn't care. He could feel it in every bone, in every feather, in his erratically beating heart. This griffin - this wonderful, distant griffin - was his mother. Her lovely black feathers shimmered as she moved, catching the light in a million different ways. Shiny, having never seen an oilspill griffin before, didn't know what to make of it._ WOW!

 _"Find me..." Her voice was faint and distorted. "I can't speak with you now, dearest, but your friends...follow them..."_

 _Shiny ran toward her, too delighted by her presence to hear what she was saying. "Mommy!" he shrieked like a little chick begging for food. "Mommy! Mommy! No matter how far he ran, he never seemed to get any closer. He sprinted until his lungs hurt and his legs were about to give in, but his mother seemed just as distant as before._

 _"M-mom?" he chirped anxiously. He sank to his knees. What had seemed like his best dream yet was turning into a nightmare. Despite it all being a dream, he felt too tired to go on. He would never reach her. There was no point in trying..._

 _"Where are you, Mom?" he warbled hopelessly._

 _Shiny looked up, and the hen's coal-black eyes became fixed on his. "My child, I am far from you. You must find me. Follow your friends, the ones with the gift of guidance, and one day I may speak with you clearly. There are many things I must tell you...so many things..." Every word became softer and farther than the last. This distressed Shiny greatly, but his mother's hard gaze kept him from interrupting until she was done._

 _"Find you...I will, Mommy. I promise!" He took another pointless step toward the apparition, desperate to hear her answer. "Who do I follow? Skah? Skah is good at leading. Mommy? Mommy, don't leave!"_

 _The older griffin closed her eyes. Shiny noticed she was weeping. "Don't promise, dear. Promises are too heavy for someone so young...I'm sorry..."_

 _Her voice finally faded. Her image vanished as well, and Shiny was left alone in the darkness._

* * *

Onyx arose from the ground, careful not to wake Larimar or Shiny. She looked around at the den, where the sunrise cast a rosy glow over everything, even in the semi-darkness. She spotted a few cubs she had not noticed before. _I wonder who they are._

Making a rustle as she entered the forest, she pointed her path to the river she and Flocke had cleaned the poisoned cub in. Once she arrived, she lifted a paw to test the water. It was warmer than last night, and she slipped in. The water ran along her feathers soothingly.

Fishing happened to be her favorite way to fish. Finding a narrow, shallow area in the river was no problem, and Onyx inhaled as much as she could to make herself as big as possible. A small group of fish paused in fear and confusion as the giant creature swelled before them. As they stopped swimming, Onyx exhaled and pounced forwards, spooking two of the three. The remaining fish was quickly dispatched.

She picked the fish from the water and began walking towards the camp. She wondered whether the other cubs would appreciate her catch. No worries. If they didn't, more for her! She walked into camp with a grin on her face. The fish was buried beside a bush. Onyx stepped back to memorize the location. As an afterthought, she plucked one of her feathers out and stood it upright in the dirt.

* * *

The moment the sun rose, Flocke decided that the others would be up soon enough for him to get a quick nap. He woke sooner than he thought when he heard someone from within moving about. Peaking an eye open, he watched as Onyx walked passed him and made for the river.

Deciding he'd get sleep later, Flocke picked himself back up and waited for the others to wake. When Onyx came back, even though she was a ways away, he could tell that she smelled of fish; the rumble in his stomach demanded he go eat something because of it.

But he wasn't going to leave until Skah or Ghost were awake. In fact, why not just wake everyone up?

"Guys~!" he sang loudly. "Suns up and I'm hungry! Wake up, please!" When he finished, he noticed Frosti. She was still asleep, and showed no signs of waking. Frowning in worry, Flocke gently pulled her out of the den.

He stood over her protectively, in case the others would, for some reason, be upset with her presence. He then waited for his friends to get up.

He vaguely noticed Flasher in the distance.

* * *

Onyx jumped as she heard a yell, but relaxed when she realized it was Flocke and the cry was not of pain or terror. Stretching herself out on a flat, sun-heated rock, she relaxed for the first time in a long while.


	89. - - Part VII, Chapter 77

**Chapter 77**

Lock woke to the sound of Flocke yelling and lifted his head to look around. He blinked and yawned before he did and kicked Flaw, making the cub grumble and lift his head before the small cub stood and stretched. Lock took a few steps away and shook his fur out of debris and dirt. He stretched himself out, limb by limb before finally getting to his wings, he heard a satisfying cracking before he yawned and sat down with a plop.

Flaw watched lock do his morning routine before he stood and stretched himself out, pinning his ears in embarrassment when he heard his stomach let off a loud growl. Lock chuckled softly. "When was the last time you ate?" He ruffled Flaws feathers affectionately as he stood. "Let's go find the others, we'll get a hunting party started." Flaw nodded as he and Lock headed towards the others

* * *

Two griffins - some of the ones Onyx hadn't met - trotted out of the den. She lifted her head lazily, but then she realized she didn't know them. She backed off the rock and to the prey-burying bush, shying away from the two strangers while simultaneously guarding her catch. A little late, she realized she didn't want to be seen, so she froze, not a feather moving in the breeze.

* * *

"Wait!" shouted Thunder. "We'll be leaving the others. I'm staying. said Thunder and Sunhigh going to the back of the small cave. "I'll stay," said Blizzard. They approached Haze and Tulip.

Thunder felt something strange that morning in his leg, a snake had bit him. Pain went through him. Hard to walk.

* * *

Larimar groaned and rolled over. Her wings drooped and her emerald eyes blinked constantly. Her little yellow beak immediately curled into a scowl. It was no secret that the night, for her, had been terrible. Now, in addition to her ribs, she had a headache. Her side itched. Her wing hurt from being slept on. Every waking moment, she found another thing that she wanted to complain about.

 _Nightmares. Falling. Always falling. Never hit the ground..._ The cream cub reluctantly dragged herself outside to meet Flocke and the others. She plopped herself down on the rocks as far away from Onyx as possible and sunned herself. With bags under her eyes and ruffled, unpreened feathers, Larimar was a sorry sight.

* * *

Shiny, on the other hand, was more than ready to start the new day. His cuts and bites from the bat fight had all scabbed over, and his bruises didn't hurt as much. His dream about his mother both worried and thrilled him. _Mom said she can talk to me. I can find my mother again. I just have to find that place. Who am I suppose to follow, though?_ He sat puzzling over this for a while. _Ghost, maybe? Or Skah...or perhaps Larry...what about Frosti? Wait a second...Frosti!_ He was shocked out of his rumination by the sight of the white cub. She was outside with Flocke, still looking rather sickly.

To Shiny's relief, she seemed a lot better up close. He trudged over to Flocke, still shaking off his morning grogginess. "Good morning!" he said to Flocke merrily. He stood beside the slightly older cub, his tail waving distractedly as his thoughts wandered back to his dream. _Was it even real?_ the cynical part of him asked. _What if I just imagined it all, and Mommy was never there?  
_  
He turned to Flocke. "I, um, I had a really weird dream last night. It was nice, but it was weird...I think I saw my mom, like Onyx said she did."

* * *

Flocke's ears perked up at what Shiny said, and he stared at the younger cub in surprise for a moment.

 _Him too?_ Now Flocke was curious. Was it just something cubs dreamt about when they missed their parents? Or did it actually mean something?

"What did she say?" he asked kindly and smiling comfortingly. If Shiny said anything that resembled what Flocke and Onyx had dreamt about, then he'd speak up. He wouldn't let Shiny and Onyx be the only ones with "strange dreams". Especially if it meant the others would think them crazy.

He frowned internally at this. He definitely didn't want the others to think Shiny- who he now thought of as his adopted little brother- was crazy. He simply would not allow it. At the very least, he wouldn't let Shiny go through it alone.

Coming out of his thoughts, Flocke waited for Shiny's answer- his face had never once changed expressions while he thought.

* * *

Tulip woke slowly- her eyes wished to remain shut, and the soreness in her bones was almost too much to bare. However, she new immediately that she had to get herself fixed up. There was something inside of her that just knew that this injury could kill her if she didn't fix it somehow.

Standing on weak, shaky legs, Tulip slowly began to walk to the little spring. She vaguely noticed that the other three cubs were already awake as she collapsed back into the chilly water.

"Ah~" she sighed contentedly. "That's nice..." she quickly cleaned her wound as best she could, and rid herself of all the extra blood that stained her feathers and fur. She then pulled herself from the spring and began preening herself. It took her a moment, by the end of it she felt miles better.

Taking a quick glance at her reflection in the slightly shaded water, she confirmed that she looked good enough. Broken, but not bloody and revolting like a rotting corpse. If she forgot about the wing, she could almost pretend that she looked normal again.

But it didn't last long, and a frown decided to take up residence on her beak. The spark of life that should be in a cub's eyes wasn't present. When it had gone was anyone's guess. For all she knew, it could have gone the day Gladiolus first made her eat another chick.

Her gut twisted at the memory. It had been a yellow chick; female. She had cried for the first time in her life that night. Her brother was no longer a being she knew at that moment.

Taking in a breath, she looked to the three cubs.

"I'm going to look for some things. I'll... um... I'll come back. If you want me to, that is..." She didn't want to be alone, but if these cubs wanted her gone, who was she to say differently.

* * *

Ghost was jolted back to consciousness by the sound of something splashing in the river. She sprang upright on stiff, cold limbs, thinking immediately of the strange voices from her dream. Her ears swiveled in all directions hunting for any hint of the sounds from the dream. There!

She picked something up, turning lightning fast until she realized that it was just Flocke talking. She relaxed slightly then, stretching out the coldness of the night. She regretted falling asleep on her own now beside the cold river. At least she had woken in the sun, she consoled herself. She began to make her way down from the rocks when something caught her eye. Ghost stood frozen for several moments as her mind raced, working overtime trying to make sense of numerous occurrences.

On the rock just infront of where she had slept was marked with an arrow, pointing towards the mountains, the same direction she had idly scratched into the rocks the day before. And beside the arrow was a group of marks, that made no sense at all to her. They were ragged, but even in size and looked ordered, from left to right. Her dream! Suddenly she realised why the second group of markings were strangely familiar, she had seen them on the stone pillars in her dream.

Ghost shivered, a cold tingle running down the length of her body, her ears pulled back. She knew instinctively inside of her that she needed to get to this place from her dream. The voices had called to her and she had scratched arrows into the ground giving her a direction. But most of all, it felt like she really, truly, just had to get to this place. Like it held some great secret that would give her guidance.

Surfacing from her contemplation she stretched out her wings, suddenly no longer stiff and jumped down from the rocks. She glided a small way before alighting smoothly and trotting back into camp, full of energy.

Skah looked up silently as Larimar exited the den. She looked sore and very sorry for herself. He had been awake for several hours now, listening to the sounds around him, and to his own thoughts. Rather, his feelings, for something was pulling him onward. It was a feeling that he had to be somewhere, somewhere that wasn't here. It had started off soft but had gotten stronger progressively so that now he could barely sit still. His tail flicked in agitation.

Unable to handle it any longer, Skah rose and headed out into their little camp where he noticed firstly that Flasher and Frosti where still around. Mildly irritated, but not outwardly angry he dismissed them from his thoughts. Then he noticed a new cub walking infront of some bushes across the camp from him. She had frozen rather peculiarly like no-one could see her. He hissed threatening dropping into a stance to match.


	90. - - Part VII, Chapter 78

**Chapter 78**

Distracted momentarily from waiting for Shiny's question, Flocke noticed Skah's threatening stance. At first, he thought it was directed at Frosti, but then saw that the older male's gaze was pointed past them. Looking, he saw Onyx.

"That's Onyx. She showed up last night." he glared at his friend, feeling oddly protective of the stranger cub. "She's not dangerous- just a lost griffin cub like us. I think we should let her be a part of the group."

He left it at that. He really didn't want to get into another fight with Skah so early in the morning- and so soon after their last one- so he focused his attention back on Shiny, making it very clear that he wouldn't listen to Skah's objections at the moment.

* * *

"She said she couldn't talk to me," Shiny explained sadly. "She said to follow one of my friends, to find her...like if I went somewhere, I would be able to 'speak clearly' to her." He paused, waiting to see how Flocke would explain Onyx's appearance. Shiny liked the new cub, but he felt that he had challenged Skah's authority enough by bringing back Frosti. Anything more could be pushing it too far.

"Anyway," Shiny continued, still nervously watching Onyx and Skah, "I don't understand a lot of it. It just felt _real_. Do you think it could mean something?" He sighed. No matter how much he hoped his vision had merit, the fact remained that he was an orphaned cub, and lonely, orphan cubs sometimes imagined things that weren't there.

 _Am I really just going crazy?_

* * *

Flocke thought about what Shiny said. It was very similar to Onyx and his dreams. He wasn't entirely sure if the voice he heard was his mother, but it said similar things that Onyx and Shiny's mothers did. They were being told to follow someone, and to go someplace. Someplace... where they could see their parents again?

Realizing that Shiny was waiting for him to reply, Flocke cleared his throat.

"I think there's definitely a chance that it could mean something. I had a similar dream too, yesterday- after we came back from meeting Tulip. I was having a nightmare, but then it was suddenly much... calmer. It felt safer. And I heard a voice- I never saw who was speaking, but she sounded lovely.

"She told me to follow someone to a special place too. That we'd get answers or something, when we got there." Flocke thought a moment.

"That makes three of us now that have had a strange dream, telling us to go somewhere, so yes, I thing it means something. We should listen to our dreams and go to this place." He looked up to Shiny with a bright smile. "We'll tell the others, okay? Don't worry about sounding crazy, because if your crazy that means I am too... Just know that I believe you, okay?"

He was trying to reassure Shiny, but a part of him told him that it was for himself just as much as it was for Shiny. What if they were wrong? What if there was no special place? Was he just being a fool, for following a petty dream?

Did it matter at this point?

They were lost, orphaned cubs- any chance at salvation should be a chance taken.

Walking over to Shiny's side, he draped a wing over the younger male comfortingly.

"Let's go get Onyx and talk with the others about this, okay?"

* * *

Shiny nodded. He wasn't sure if some of the other cubs, specifically Larimar and Skah, would believe their claims. Perhaps the others could convince them. He kept clinging to that last strand of hope that his mother was out there and could contact him. Flocke's wing on his back was reassuring. He was able to find some comfort in the fact that at least one of his friends believed him.

"Hey, Onyx?" he called to the new cub. Hopefully he could distract her from Skah and prevent a nasty confrontation.

* * *

Onyx scanned the face of the cub who had jumped up threateningly. It was a male. She had not seen him before. He seemed mildly injured, but it didn't hinder his movements. A capable fighter. His gaze was fixed on her. There didn't seem to be an escape plan. Flocke's voice was at the back of her mind. She was only worried about keeping her food safe from this testy little cub. _Try me_ , she thought. Standing her fur and feathers on end, she hissed. _I dare you._

She almost advanced on him, but then, she heard her name. Someone was calling for her. She let out an angry sigh and stood up straight. _Just forget about it. Forget him_ , she advised herself. Facing Flocke and Shiny, she called back, "Yeah?"

* * *

Haze woke up when Tulip left his side. He yawned and stretched his wings, feeling as if he'd awakened just a little too soon. He saw Tulip cleaning herself in the water again. She looked a lot better after a night of rest, lovely, even. Her stump of a wing still looked pretty bad, though.

He tried not to look too worried about her when she announced that she was going to find something. It was her choice, after all. Scared of sounding like an over-attached baby, he replied with a calm, "Okay."

He turned to Thunder and Sunhigh, doing his best not to stare at Tulip, but his nervously flicking tail betrayed his lingering concern. "Where are you going?" he quickly asked. "It's not safe to be out there alone. At least, that's what my mom told me."

* * *

Tulip nodded when Haze confirmed that he had heard her. She was just about to leave the cave on her search when she he spoke up again. She was startled by what he said, but immediately turned around to face him.

"You have a mama?!" It had been so long since she had even thought about mothers, that the very idea of having one was strange to Tulip. Every cub she had met so far didn't have parents. She had thought that they were all alone...

"Where? Is she nearby? Can she take care of us?" the questions were coming out so fast she hardly realized what she was saying. Between being terribly injured and being a scared orphaned child, the desperation she was feeling to find an adult to take care of her was enough to make her forget that she was shy and a stranger to these cubs.

However, immediately after her outburst, she bent her head low and avoided looking at the others.

"I'm sorry... That... That was rude..."

* * *

Frosti stirred. She could see nothing but darkness, and felt nothing but dirt. The smell of soil hung dank in the air, and it was then that she realised that she must have in an underground burrow. She felt her way up into the darkness, trying to remember what had happened to her that night. Her limbs ached, as if someone had been carrying her over a long distance. Perhaps it was true.


	91. - - Part VII, Chapter 79

**Chapter 79**

Skah relaxed his posture slightly at Flocke's comments, but still remained somewhat threatening. He stalked a few steps towards Larimar before dropping onto his haunches. His eyes watched Onyx's every movement as his tail gently swept back and forth. "How do you feel?" he asked Larimar out of the corner of his mouth.

Just as Shiny called to Onyx and she answered back, Ghost breezed past Onyx without a word, a few inches to her side. Still moving with a newfound grace she stopped infront of Flocke and Shiny. "We need to talk", she announced to the group.

* * *

 _Like I'm going to die._ Larimar held back a whiny comment about her side. Deep inside, she still felt that strong desire to impress Skah. He was the leader, after all, and if they became closer friends, she would have a little more respect from the other cubs. Other emotions stirred in her at this thought, but they were strange and newly awakened, so she pushed them all aside for the moment.

"Tired," she grumbled, "but it'll be fine." She rubbed her half-closed eyes with a balled forefoot. Her nightmares had kept her from getting any worthwhile rest.

She perked up at the sound of Ghost's voice. Refusing the budge from her spot, she inclined her head and listened from where she was.

* * *

"Hello, Ghost!" Shiny said when he saw his older friend approaching. It soon became apparent that she had something more urgent to say. Frowning slightly, Shiny sat down and waited for her news.

* * *

Flocke came to attention when Ghost approached them.

"What about?" he asked, not sure how he felt about the way she had been acting recently. From staying by the river, next to motionless all night, to not showing any indication that she even noticed Onyx- he was trying to gauge whether she was upset or angry about something. Her calm demeanor claimed no, but he wasn't sure how well he could trust that...

As he waited for her to reply, he felt Frosti stir beneath him. He glanced down to see if she had woken up, but was met with still closed eyes- although they were shut tightly as if she were concentrating on something. Perhaps she was trying to wake up?

He nudged her slightly with his paw in the hopes of making her more comfortable by changing her position. When he was done, he looked back up to Ghost. He hoped Frosti would wake up soon...

* * *

Ghost looked around at the others, a little unsure on how to start now that she had everyone's attention. Taking a deep breath to steady herself she began. "I think I know where we need to go. Somewhere that we can learn things and be safe." She rushed on before anyone could say anything. "Its that way somewhere", she said as she gestured in the general direction of the mountains.

Skah sat silently as Ghost spoke. He was a little put out that Ghost hadn't come to him first to warn him of her intentions.

* * *

Flocke smiled.

"We were actually thinking of talking to all of you about that!" he said happily as he motioned between Shiny and himself. Perhaps this would be easier than he thought. Now, three of them had, had dreams about going somewhere, and Ghost had a similar feeling- maybe she had a dream too?

With Ghost on their side, Flocke was certain that they'd have an easier time convincing the others. Especially Skah and Larimar.

"Onyx, Shiny and I have actually been having dreams telling us to go somewhere." he explained. "I heard a voice telling me to go to a special place, and to follow the one who was going to lead us there. The voice seemed very serious about the idea of us getting to this place."

When he was done, he turned to Shiny, silently telling him that he could explain his dream now.

Flocke thought about asking some questions, but decided to wait until after everyone was done explaining things.

* * *

"I lost her," Haze admitted. "I'm sure she's looking for me, though. I was going to try and find her." His brow furrowed. "Wait, you mean you don't have a Mommy?" Now that he thought about it, it didn't seem like a mother griffin would allow her cub anywhere near someone like Gladiolus. Tulip had never mentioned any parent or family of her own. Haze had just assumed...

 _How does someone even survive without a mom?_

He was lucky. If his second mommy hadn't found him as a chick, he would have ended up dead like his first. Haze couldn't fathom ever thriving without the guidance of his mother. Another very bad thought popped into his head. _If Tulip doesn't have a mom, who's going to take care of her? Who's going to teach her everything?  
_  
"O-of course," he said in reply to Tulip's next question. "I'm sure she'll take care of us both. When we find her, that is, and I'm sure we will. She can protect us and teach you all the cool stuff she knows."

He wanted to believe what he was telling her, but it felt like a lie. _Mommy doesn't like strangers. She's always yelling about them. She'll make an exception for Tulip, though. She has to..._

* * *

"Mine was a lot like Flocke's," Shiny began after Flocke finished. "I saw this big griffin, and I knew right away she was my mommy. She said I had to find her before she could talk to me. There was also something about one of my friends...I have to follow one of you guys. I think if we go to that spot Flocke was talking about, my mom can tell me something."

 _Follow your friend_. Shiny realized that Ghost had to be the one his mother told him of. Somehow, she knew the way to this special place. Why else would she suddenly be telling them where to go? He still had some lingering, well-hidden doubt in her after the Frosti incident. He decided that he would just have to ignore that and trust her again. The more he thought about the way Frosti had divided their group, the better her choice seemed, anyway. Sure, it had been harsh, but perhaps it had been in Shiny's best interest.

"That doesn't make sense!" Larimar cut in with the same words she'd used to dispute Onyx's claims. "Dreams aren't real. They...they just don't work that way!" She looked to Skah, hoping he would back her up.

* * *

Skah listened to the others with silent skepticism, at first. Then as they all recounted similar stories he considered the possibilities for himself. He dreamt, they all dreamt, that he didn't doubt. But his dreams were of his mother's last words to him, her last movements. They had shaped how he had kept on living, but they were memories, not instructions from random figures in his head. Unconvinced he turned to Larry. "No, they don't", he answered solemnly, "at least not for me".

Ghost felt a strange sense of releif that she wasn't on her own in this fight. She was even more shocked when Flocke said at figures from his dream had called for him just as they had for her. Trying to keep calm she explained a little more. "I dreamt that I was in this place, I couldn't see too much because it was so misty. There were stone columns around the place, and there were voices calling my name wanting me to follow them". She finished in a rush, deliberately leaving out the marks on the rocks because it somehow felt more important to her than the others. She shifted around a bit, unable to meet anyones eyes.

* * *

Onyx shot daggers at Larimar. "Just because they're dreams doesn't mean they're not real. It's... different." She paused, composing her thoughts. "My dream was of a voice, I'm sure it was my mother, and a - a little chick voice. Rourke..." - her voice grew faint and shaky, but she pulled it back up - "A - and my mother was telling me to find the blue-eyed cub" - here she looked pointedly at Flocke - "and his friends, to follow them. To find her. I need to find her."


	92. - - Part VII, Chapter 80

**Chapter 80**

Flocke listened to everyone silently. His confidence faltered slightly when Larimar and Skah spoke their disbelief, but he did his best to hold on to his courage.

"I was in a misty place too- in my dream. But there weren't any columns... Just endless mist." he replied to Ghost. Then he turned to Larimar and Skah.

"I think the dreams we had aren't really dreams. They're something else. More real- I could feel that they're more real. And the voice I heard... It sounded so familiar..." Flocke could no longer make the connection between the voice in his dream and who he knew he'd heard before- his memories had faded. Flocke shook his head, to rid himself of his thoughts. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but it's true."

He pointed his gaze towards Larimar and focused on her. His courage was wavering but he held up- even if he did start to shake a little.

"Larimar, we've known each other since we hatched. You know I wouldn't lie about this. Don't you? I don't like lying..." If anything, he at least wanted Larimar to believe him. Not only was she his oldest friend, but she was also important to Shiny- whether the younger cub would admit it or not. She had imprinted on Shiny, and Flocke could tell. Her disbelief would upset both him and Shiny, and he really didn't want that.

Quickly attempting to look more confident, Flocke turned back to Skah.

"Listen: You don't _have_ to believe us. We were planning on going towards the mountains anyway, right? We can just check to see if the place we dreamt about is really there, and if it's not, then we can continue on our way- no questions asked. But what's the point of what we're doing if we don't at least _try_ to find help? Especially when it seems like we're being outright _told_ where to find it." His gaze saddened. "I don't want to grow up not knowing about the world and what we're supposed to do. I need help. We all do."

Flocke knew that, of all the cubs, he needed to convince Skah. The older male was their leader by this point, and unless he wanted to leave the group to find this special place on his own- which he definitely didn't want to do- he'd have to get Skah to go too.

"Please? Can't we just check?" he begged quietly with a shaky smile. He wasn't sure who the smile was supposed to convince- Skah, or himself...?

* * *

Larimar was taken aback by Flocke's reply. She wanted to trust him. He was her best friend, after all. She felt as if they'd been drifting apart since the start of winter, and she wanted to close that rift once and for all. _It IS a bit odd that Flocke, Ghost, and Shiny all had dreams about this place. Surely that couldn't all be a coincidence._ She drummed her left talons thoughtfully, starting to warm up to the idea.

But if Flocke was indeed correct, what did that mean about Larimar's dream? Her terrible nightmares were starting to seem more like a grisly omen than a simple representation of her fears. _If Flocke's dream is starting to become real...does that mean mine will?_ She imagined falling to death, perhaps as she was trying to fly. It all started to make sense. Flocke, Ghost, and Shiny would find get to talk to their parents. Larry, on the other hand, would die.

 _No!_ She refused to believe that. Her mind started to twist the words of her friends. _They're not lying, but they have to be mistaken._ A deeply rooted, primal fear for the unknown started to return. There was no proof. _Her_ mother hadn't spoken with _her_. If moms loved their children so much, shouldn't she have received a nice dream? Despite her deep love for Flocke, she started to doubt his story more and more. Evidence. She needed evidence.

That was the problem...There was no way for her to see it for herself unless she trusted them and went with them to this 'special place'.

"Fine," she snapped, her skepticism obvious, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out. I still don't believe in these weird dreams, though." She turned once again to Skah, waiting for his confirmation before she continued.

* * *

Flocke smiled in relief, and mouthed a thank you before turning to wait for Skah's answer.

He knew Larimar wasn't exactly happy, but at least she was giving it a chance. That was enough for now. All he truly wanted right now was everyone's trust, and if this all ended with him and the others being wrong, then he'd stare his mistake in the face and admit it. He'd apologize and make sure that they knew, that he knew, that he had been wrong.

However, he was almost a hundred percent certain that he was completely right.

* * *

Tulip was feeling the same slight relief that Flocke was- although for a different reason.

She'd found someone who had a mama! An actual adult! She'd only ever dreamed of what an adult looked like- what her mother could have looked like- but now she had a chance to actually meet one!

If they could find her, at least. But that didn't deter Tulip. The very thought was making her happier and more hopeful than she had ever been in her life. True hope felt good. It wasn't that broken, false hope that she had, had for the better part of her life. The hope that, maybe, somehow, a mother she had never known would suddenly show up and end the nightmare of her young life. She'd fix her brother, give her plenty of _normal_ food, and they would be a happy little family.

That hope hurt, because she knew it would never happen.

But this? This hope was pure bliss compared. Even if they didn't manage to find Haze's mama, they still had a _chance_. She _was_ out there, and it was completely possible for them to run into her. This simple fact made Tulip's heart soar. So much so that relieved, happy tears- not hurt and pained- began to fall from her eyes as she smiled the biggest smile she ever had.

"You have no idea how happy that would make me." she said quietly. She quickly wiped her tears away, but others replaced the ones she'd banished. "I hatched without a mama. It was just me and my brother, in our nest. We had been all alone. We waited... for a little while. But no one ever came. Our mama never came for us." She knew that she mentioned her brother, but she didn't care. He died after that first day, and that was the story she'd stick with. Because, in a way, it was true.

"I've met other chicks and cubs before, but none of them ever had any parents. They were alone too. I started to think that, maybe, it was normal to be without mamas'. That, perhaps, they don't actually exist..."

She looked Haze directly in the eyes- her own gaze shining for once. The life in them had returned.

"I'm so glad I'm wrong. Even if we don't find her, just the thought has made me happier than I ever remember being. So _thank you_ \- from the very bottom of my heart. Thank you _so much_." She sniffled, and wiped at her eyes again. This time, the flow of tears slowed, and only three small tears ran slowly down her cheek feathers.

She wasn't one to understand friendship quite yet, but if she did, then she'd know that this cub in front of her was definitely a friend. A bond had been created, no matter how small.

 _He was her first true friend_.

* * *

Ghost finally managed to sit still once the others had agreed that they should try and find this place. A sense of relief washed over her, but she quickly checked it cause she knew that it was Skah that really needed convincing. She lifted her gaze and leveled it at Skah, trying to meet his eyes, trying to convince him that they all needed to find this place.

Skah kept his face emotionless while the others talked, but inside he was grappling with his own thougts and emotions. When Larry grudgingly gave in he knew that the choice was right. He felt that pull of movement temporarily intensify. He looked up and met Ghosts gaze, it was beyond doubt then what had to be done. He clacked his beak, making sure that he had everyone's attention beforr passing his judgment. "We go", was his simple answer. "We go, and try and find this place. And find whatever it is thag we need from it".

* * *

"Great!" Flocke said happily. He turned to Shiny and gave his little brother a comforting smile that said, " _See? I told you it wouldn't be bad_."

He went to get up, but his paws were met with something fluffy below him. Looking down, he was suddenly reminded of Frosti's presence.

"Oh yeah..." he muttered to himself. He looked back up to Skah, and gulped. He just knew what would come of this...

"Umm... What do we do about her?" he asked quietly, while pointing down towards the white cub. "I don't know when she'll wake up- she was wounded pretty bad- but it's not like she's dead yet..."

Flocke was conflicted now. On one hand, he wanted to help the cub. But on the other hand... what could they do? They were only cubs. Orphaned cubs, to be more exact.

As much as he hated thinking it, he knew that it would be better for all of them if they left her behind...

 **That's what you thought before you left Tulip behind...**

Startled, Flocke shook his head of that thought. He had to leave her behind... it was the best option at the time. They could have died if they chose to do anything else.

His thoughts quieted then.

He looked around for someone to give him an answer. At least it wouldn't be _him_ choosing to leave Frosti behind. If the others chose that option, that is...


	93. - - Part VII, Chapter 81

**Chapter 81**

"Will be waiting for you," Said Thunder weakly. He started to look down at his leg. A snake was on his, putting venom in his blood. My leg... the venom. He fell to the floor. "Thunder your leg!" yelled Sunhigh. "I know my leg has a snake on it. NOW GET IT OFF ALREADY!" shouted Thunder looking up at Sunhigh, feeling more pain then 10 minutes ago.

Blizzard started to peck and hit the snake. Finally she bit the snake, yanked it off, and pounced on it, killing it. "I'm-I'm," murmured Thunder just laying there in pain. He didn't speak.

* * *

 _Thunder once again saw his mother. "Mommy? Am I dead... like you?" asked Thunder. "No dear, you aren't dead, your alive," answered his mother. "Will I ever see you again?" asked Thunder. "No, I'm dead, but I can be with you. Remember," answered his mother._

He woke up.

In pain.

* * *

Lock and Flaw were sitting a few feet away from the main group as they listened, not speaking as they heard of the strange dreams some of the cubs were having, of the conversation of moving on, of going to a mountain and seeking a sacred place from the world of dreams. Lock turned to Flaw and gently rested his wing over his shoulder. "You want to go with them?" He asked softly, in a voice only Flaw would hear. Flaw paused for a moment before he nodded and stood. "Yes. We should stick together after all. I feel the rift between me and my old friends, I feel almost like a stranger even though I've grown up with them, in a manner of speaking. I want too fix my friendship, and sticking together is the best survival idea." Lock let out a soft chir and stood with a nod. "Alright. We'll stay with them then."

* * *

"We can't leave her behind," Shiny said determinedly. "No-one gets left behind anymore." He was thinking about Tulip, but memories of Lolly and Flaw getting separated from them during the winter also came to mind. _Poor Lolly, getting lost in that blizzard. We should have never let her scout ahead._ He took a deep breath, trying to stay positive and not dwell on their mistakes.

"Flasher, can you carry her?" he suggested. "I was thinking maybe...maybe I could ask Mommy what do about that icky stuff in her."

Larimar rolled over with a soft 'Hmmph' and continued sunning herself. She was not happy about the proceedings but not particularly displeased by them either. Deciding to remain neutral, she listened quietly.

* * *

Haze carefully masked his true emotions. Beneath his smile, he felt ashamed for not telling Tulip the whole truth, but he was still genuinely pleased that he'd made her happy. "You have a brother?" he said curiously. The image of a scared, lost cub being separated from their sister instantly came to his mind.

He was distracted by loud shout from Thunder. The other three cubs were gathered in the back of the cave. Thunder was on the ground, a dead snake beside him. A snake! _Those things are very, very bad_ , Haze thought, remembering his mother's warning about their deadly bite. The snake was already dead, though, so there didn't seem like anything else Haze could do to help. He turned back to Tulip, shocked.

* * *

 _Yeah. That could work._ Flocke thought after he listened to Shiny's protest. He was glad that someone other than him didn't want to just leave Frosti behind either.

However...

He looked back to see if he could spot Flasher. She seemed to be hiding- he could understand why, at this point- so she was completely out of view. Hopefully she was able to hear what Shiny said, but Flocke decided to say something as well.

"We'll leave Frosti here, outside the den, Flasher." he called just loudly enough for her to hopefully hear. "You can follow behind us, with her, if you want."

Now, he could just hope that the hen had heard. He turned back to the others, looked down at Frosti, and then gently moved away from her. He then looked back up to his friends.

"Okay. I'm ready to go when you all are." he decided. He then waited for their responses.

* * *

Tulip had been just as shocked as Haze.

She'd only ever seen a snake once, but it had only been for a second before Gladiolus killed and ate it.

Now, though... She didn't know what to do. She remembered her brother telling her that, when they bite, they leave venom in your skin.

Venom that can kill you.

And now, she was facing the very situation she had thought of as terrifying.

What was she supposed to do? Was there something she could do?

 _No... There's nothing._ She didn't have the knowledge for this. A simple scratch or bite that could cause infection or sickness? That she could treat. But this...

She couldn't help. She couldn't even try to help.

 **"Useless..."** She didn't try to chase that thought away, because at the moment, she felt like it was speaking the truth.

She ducked her head down, partly in worry, the part in shame.

Maybe now would be a good time to run away...

* * *

"Mom," Haze muttered. "My mom would know what to do." He stared at Tulip, his chocolate gaze silently begging her to help him. He was out of ideas, and he could tell by the look on her face that she was as well.

He wasn't entirely sure that his mother knew how to cure snakebites. The most powerful medicinal thing he'd ever seen her do was wrap up his paw when he cut it on a rock. Still, Haze was at that age where, in his mind, it seemed like his parent could do anything. _Mom has to know the answer to this. She knows everything!_

 _We don't have any other choice._ "I'm going to go find her," he announced. "I have to. She's the only one I know who can help!"

* * *

Onyx nodded quietly as Flocke announced his decision. "Alright." She picked up what was left of the two mice she had caught and dug up the fish, still fairly fresh. Onyx tossed the meat on her back and cupped her wings, holding it there. She touched her sapphire nest gem necklace for luck and padded partway down an animal trail, before stopping and sitting down in the middle of it. "You coming?" she asked, slightly embarrassed for walking off so suddenly without approval.

* * *

Haze's suggestion to find his mother was a good one in Tulip's opinion. An adult would know what to do, right? But the chances of being able to find his mother before the venom reached Thunder's heart were low. She could be anywhere, and they had little time.

What could Tulip do?

Between the Basil leaves and aloe, she didn't know of anything that could help. Venom killed- how? Maybe, if she knew that much, she'd be able to figure out what to use to help Thunder.

Clenching her beak, Tulip began looking about the cave. Of course there was nothing- at least, nothing that stood out to her.

"Um..." The morning sun peaked at her through the cave's opening, beckoning her to look outside. Still unsure, she turned to Haze. "You do that... I... I'll try to find something else to help."

Making up her mind, she turned to the other two cubs that were fretting about their friend.

"You two, get him to the water. Make him drink, but don't move him after that. Clean the wound and keep it lower than the rest of his body." Seemed like a good idea- gravity would keep the venom from going anywhere, right? At the very least, it would slow the venom down and give them more time. Hopefully...

With her instructions- that would hopefully prove to be helpful- given, Tulip turned to the entrance and raced out. She had to find something to help Thunder. A plant, or something. She had no idea how she would be able to tell if something could help the injured cub upon sight alone- she held a light hope that she would somehow get lucky, and come across some situation where another animal could show her what to do. Much like the when she came across the wild hogs with their basil and aloe demonstration.

She highly doubted that she'd get that lucky, twice, but she could still hope. One percent chance was better than no percent at all, right?

Racing off, she began looking at every plant, herb, moss and flower she came across. She'd study it, sniff it, stare intently as if it would speak, and then she'd decide that it was useless to her, before racing off to the next potential plant cure. Each one proved to evade her understanding, and she had to pass it for another. And another. And another...

When she looked up for the first time since leaving the cave, she realized that she could still barely see said cave in the distance. She hadn't gotten very far in her search- both literally and figuratively.

She was starting to doubt her chances of success even more.


	94. - - Part VII, Chapter 82

**Chapter 82**

"Wait!" Haze rushed out after Tulip. "Tulip, wait!" She was already gone. He wildly took in his surroundings, searching for the familiar color of her bright coat, but she'd left the area and he had no idea which direction she had went. "No..." He needed her help. He didn't want to go out alone, to find his mother without her.

 _What if Mom is having one of her sad days? She'll never let me go back and find the others_ , he thought, growing more and more desperate as he tore his way through the bushes in search of Tulip. Having no clue on where she'd gone, he had to go with his gut instinct. Haze wasn't sure who to look for. Should he start following his friend or try to find his mother? He glanced back at the cave.

He had to do what was best for Thunder. Perhaps if he and Tulip split up, they would have a better chance at finding some sort of cure. That way if he couldn't find his mom in time, she could try a different solution.

But...Tulip was his friend. What if she got lost? What if she got hurt out there? Even though the rational part of him was telling him to let her try a different plan, he didn't want to risk her safety. Friends should never split up. A _flock_ should never split up. Haze felt torn, trapped by all the choices. In the heat of the moment, he let his emotional side win over. "Tulip!" he cried again. "TULIP!"

* * *

Tulip vaguely heard Haze's call during her frantic search, and managed to pull her mind away from plant hunting to look in the direction of her new friend.

He was out of sight, but she could guess in which direction he was because of his call. He sounded... desperate? Worried? Probably just how she was interpreting it, but it compelled her to go back.

Hesitating for only a second, Tulip began walking back to her friend. Around a couple of boulders, and through a few bushes, she finally saw him.

"Hey!" she called over to him. "I was looking for a plant that might help Thunder..." She looked away, somewhat ashamed. "But... honestly, I don't know what to look for..." Tulip looked back up, a bit more determined.

"You're going to go look for your mama, right?" Tulip was near certain that Haze's mom was the best chance at the moment for Thunder's survival- she wasn't having any luck, and it was unlikely that her chances would improve...

* * *

Haze breathed a deep sigh of relief when he saw Tulip approaching him. When she explained why she'd left, he felt a lot more confident about splitting up. He'd heard of such herbs, plants that could help sick or injured griffins. Though he didn't know anything about identifying them, Tulip had a chance at getting lucky and finding one.

"I...um...yeah, I think I can find her if I head back toward my nest," he said. "That plant thing makes sense. If you find the right things, you might be able to help Thunder quickly. You know, if my mom doesn't get back in time..."

He leaned forward, focusing on her as he tried to formulate a plan. "I think maybe it would be better if we split up. I don't know anything about plants and you wouldn't recognize Mom. We can meet back up later."

 _It's for the best_ , he repeated over and over in his head. _But please be careful. Please don't get lost._ He stared at her, wondering is she would accept his hasty suggestion.

* * *

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Tulip replied swiftly. However, she quickly thought twice about the decision. Was it really a good idea? She was planning on staying relatively near the cave, so getting lost wasn't very likely. But Haze was going to look for his mom- Said hen could be anywhere, and it would take going very far away in order to find her. Wouldn't it?

And he'd be all alone- a point that Tulip didn't like in the slightest. What if he was attacked? What if he got hurt? Even worse, what if he ran into Gladiolus? Tulip shivered at the thought. She wouldn't be there to help him if any of those things happened.

Tulip felt truly worried, and for once, it wasn't for herself. She worried for Thunder, but it somehow wasn't the same as the worry she felt now. She worried that, if Haze walked into the forest now, she might never see him again...

Realizing that she was thinking too much on it, Tulip shook her head and swallowed the worry she felt. Haze would be fine- he was stronger than her after all, and had survived this long. Yeah, he'd be fine... But still.

"Just... be careful. Okay?" she asked quietly as she smiled. She really didn't want to let him walk off, alone. But they needed to do this. They had to find a way to help Thunder.

* * *

"I will," he promised. "I'll come back as soon as I can. You, too...don't get lost or anything...please." He stopped, feeling that if he said anything more, it would sound insincere. He looked away shyly. _Thank you for being my friend._ The words kept getting stuck in his throat, refusing to be spoken.

He gave her another short nod before walking off. He knew that if he looked back, he probably wouldn't be able to keep going. Hope still burned fiercely within him. One way or another, they were going to save Thunder. But for some odd reason...he wasn't really worried about that now. He wanted Tulip to make it back safely. He wanted to see her again.

He no longer felt content to be part of a small family. _When I get back_ , he decided. _When Thunder is healed, I'm going to try and make my own flock. A flock of griffins who are my age...that would be nice._

* * *

Calico stretched out on her hamik, or whatever it was . The human called it a hamik, so so did she. It was made of canvas suspended between two short wooden poles. The poles had string sticking out of them at two-inch intervals. All the strings gathered into a single point and knotted, with a longer, thicker, stronger sting attached to a hook. The hook was thrown over a tree. That is how the hamik held her off the ground. The ground was wet. Calico didn't like wet. It stuck her feathers together and made her cold.

It wasn't her fault she was bored. The human had left right before brekfist. That was her morning feeding time. She had to wait until he got back.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

* * *

Thunder noticed Tulip and Haze leaving to help him. But, he wasn't poisoned with the snakes venom. Not all snakes have venom... It just REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hurt. " _WAIT! I'm fine! THIS THING DOESEN'T HAVE VENOM!_ " Thunder shouted and shouted that 3 times repeating everything he said.

Blizzard had started to notice that he was moving when he was unconscious, he kept twitching and moving. Unfortunately, Sunhigh _didn't_ notice. Sunhigh thought Thunder was... _dead_. "THUNDER, YOUR _ALIVE_!" shouted Sunhigh.

Thunder tried to get on all fours, but failing every time. He finally got up on his 29th try. I need to tell Tulip-" Thunder fell down again, in the middle of when he was talking. This time, he didn't see his mother.

 _"Mom?" asked Thunder._

"MOM!?" repeated Thunder but louder this time.

"Am I dead?" he asked.

He finally remembered his mother saying before he woke up; Remember.

Once more he woke up, but this time, he woke up somewhere else. He next to a river. He had lost his friends, they were like family to him. He started to look for them, look for them in the path he had seen before. He wasn't dead, he could still fell, everything.

* * *

Blizzard walked with Sunhigh next to the river before Thunder found himself there, "Sunhigh, do you really think he's dead?" asked Blizzard. Sunhigh took a little while to think of it. "Yes, I'm sure of it," Sunhigh answered. They set him down in the river with tears falling from there eyes.

Blizzard and Sunhigh walked up the path they went down, and when through the trees and ended up at the cave. They stayed there for a long time when Blizzard decided to start to find more griffins. So they did.

* * *

Thunder walked up the path, wondering if they went this way. there was one thing he could see; a rocky path. He kept saying to himself I'm am NOT dead. I am NOT dead. He went up the path that he thought would lead him to Blizzard and Sunhigh. The path ended... nowhere. The only thing he could see was trees. He went through them.

* * *

Days passed, and no one came, not her human nor creature. Hungry, Calico wandered off in search of food. Berries and nuts were filling enough, given her small stature, but they did not silence her famine. As night fell upon the forest, Calico fell asleep, whimpering softly.


	95. - - Part VII, Chapter 83

**Chapter 83**

A soft wind whispered through the trees. Shadows danced below on the forest floor, startling the poor, young hen up above. For the past month, the weather had ben pleasant, but Mireille didn't give care about that. A storm of confusion, grief, and anger was currently raging inside her. Frankly, she didn't know how to feel. The last solid piece of her life, the only part of her that remained unscathed, had been violently ripped from her that morning. All night, she'd been out trying to catch something good for her son. She remembered coming home to an empty nest. She remembered screaming...

"HAZE!" she called, her voice hoarse from repeating the name all day. "HAZE!" She scanned the land below, forcing herself to ignore all the horrible things she imagined down there. A dark cub like Haze would blend in quite well. "Oh, Haze," she cooed sadly, "Where are you?"

She was lost and scared, perhaps even more so than the cub she was looking for. The overwhelming desire to hug him right now possessed her, and it killed her to not be able to. He was her only family, the only one who cared. Without him, she had no sense of familarity. In a way, Mireille had projected all of her hopes and dreams onto him. Her other three children -her biological kids - were dead, so Haze had become her everything. Her replacement.

The forest she was flying over was fairly strange to Mireille. She rarely ventured far from the nest, even when she hunted. She had already searched around there for Haze, so he had to have left the area. It agitated her to be in unfamiliar territory.

Sinister faces and eyes began to appear in the shade, her twisted imagination manifesting itself in illusions of monsters that didn't exist. Mireille shivered and glanced around distractedly. Those awful gasping sobs...no, she realized, that was just the wind. Several times she thought that she spied the scales of a vicious dragon flashing below. It turned out to be just a colorful bird. Every little sound, every slight movement, made Mireille's wings falter with fear.

 _What if he ran away?_ The question burned inside her. She tried not to think about it, worried that her anger would consume her the way it had before. She would never be able to bear being rejected by Haze. Didn't he know that she loved him? Didn't he care about _her_? She took a few deep breaths. That always seemed to help. "He's lost. That's all. Lost but alive and well." Mireille was far from a perfect mother, but she was doing the best that she could.

 _I let him wander off. I LET him. How could I? How could I? It was all going so well..._ She let out a wordless scream of frustration. Her wings ached. Her mind was a mess. She needed a break.

"No more flying," she mumbled to herself. _I'll go on foot for now._ She landed sloppily, her white-tipped wings catching on the branches of a tree. Cursing herself, she stumbled around and made an awful lot of noise.

She walked for a while longer, so concentrated on her search that she lost track of time.

"Haze?! HAZE?!" She froze. A small, soft sound caught her attention. Fearing the worst, she slowly crept toward the noise. Her pale, mostly white, plumage practically glowed in the shadows. Her black eyes narrowed at what she thought that she saw. Could it be...? Yes, it had to. This was no product of her imagination. She'd finally found a cub! She watched it with bewilderment. It was about Haze's size, about his age, and about his color...

But it wasn't Haze.

A low hiss escaped her, suspicious and angry. It wasn't fair. She had found the wrong cub. She paced around Calico, her hackles ruffled. Her emotions started to bubble back up. It just wasn't fair…

* * *

Calico awoke with a start because of a hissing noise. Assuming it was one of those loud, tiny snakes she kept finding, she flipped over to her other side and - "Hi-yah!" - dropped a talon on... on... a griffin's head? A... very LARGE griffin's head... Oh, no…

* * *

Thunder went far past the trees where Sunhigh and Blizzard went. From where he was now, wasn't far from Calico. He was walking toward more trees and leaving behind the others, until; he saw a tree that was familiar to him. one that said; _Sunhigh, Blizzard, and Thunder_ in really bad denting work.

"Hey, wait. Sunhigh, Blizzard and I made that. That means." he ran as fast as he could anxious, because he had finally found his nest. He wasn't far from the cave. he realized that, and started running in the direction of the cave.

But when he got there, no-one was there. So instead of saying Hi and hearing Sunhigh saying "IT'S THE UNDEAD! RUN!" he went looking for them. In the wrong direction.

He ran the exact direction Haze's mother was. And Calico. He kept running until he ran into a LARGE griffin. and another one the exact same size and age as him. He was frightened of the LARGE griffin. He tried backing up. And stepped on a twig. _SNAP!_

* * *

Calico, in shock after thumping the big griffin's head, didn't notice the smaller griffin approach. However, she leaped into the air when his paw crushed a stick. "EEEE!" she shrieked as the cub came closer. "WHO are YOU?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. She backed into a bush and wondered if they would hurt her. Then she closed her eyes and tried to disappear.

* * *

Mireille recoiled and raised her crest threateningly. That wicked little cub _hit_ her! Sure, it was probably an accident. Mireille didn't know that, though. She was angry, but she didn't really know why. All of her worry and rage had built up and was now reaching a boiling point. She spun around at the sound of another voice. It was a second cub.

"Where is he?" she snarled, expecting them to somehow know. "Where is Haze?!" She loomed over Calico, her beak twisted into a scowl.

* * *

"Haze!" Thunder yelled. "He went to find you, and help me when a snake bit me. He, helped me when I helped me back. Are you? Are you his mother?" he said shaking, taking steppes back constantly.

He tripped on a log falling backwards, and poison ivy. "Haze is still alive." he said ignorantly. He took a close look at the other cub. He saw him before, when he was a chick. "I remember you," He said.

* * *

"Where? What have you done with my son?" While she remained hostile, Mireille began to calm down when the strange cub mentioned seeing Haze. She backed away from Thunder. Standing next to a strange griffin for so long, even if it was just a cub, was starting to make her nervous. Her dark, empty eyes flitted about, searching for any nearby attackers. Then Mireille squeezed them shut. She was starting to feel trapped again. It was her usual paranoia taking hold. First she would start seeing things. Then that suffocating fear would return...

 _Focus. Haze. Find your son. Protect him from all those evil things. Find Haze._ She opened her eyes and stared coldly down at Thunder. Through the fog that clouded her mind and made it impossible to discern reality from her worries, Mireille felt only one thing: hatred.

And that hatred would be unleashed on any innocent that stood in her way.

* * *

Calico let out a shaky sigh of relief as the big griffin turned away. Not really following the discussion, she faced towards the smaller griffin when he seemed to address her. "M-Me?" she stuttered. "I-I don't know y-you..."

* * *

Thunder felt like he was being threatened. "I didn't do anything with Haze. Me and my friends that... are lost from me stumbled across him." Thundered murmured. He knew that he had no idea of what we were doing. He was trying to avoid an adult griffin that was staring him in the eyes.

"I can help you find him?" he said in a worried voice, thinking of what could happen to him if she was really angry at him.

* * *

Sunhigh and Blizzard went past lots of trees searching for more griffins. They found not griffin, "Sunhigh, do you know where any griffins might be?" asked Blizzard. "No, sadly. I've only known you, Haze, Tulip, and Thunder after my, yours and Thunder's mothers died" answered Sunhigh.

Both of them had no idea where any other griffin was. and both of them had no idea what was ahead of them. As Blizzard and Sunhigh walked towards more trees, they saw a figure upon the trees, they went as fast as they could with Blizzard ahead of Sunhigh. Once they found bushes they stopped. They took a peak ahead and Sunhigh and Blizzard saw Onyx. Sunhigh took a step out through the bushes and said "hello, I'm Sunhigh. The one hiding in the bushes is Blizzard." Blizzard was astonished that they found more griffins in so soon.


	96. - - Part VII, Chapter 84

**Chapter 84**

"AAH!" shrieked Onyx, dropping her wings and leaving her food on the ground. She whipped around as she heard a voice. She ran towards it, lashed out with her foretalons - she felt the blow connect -, and fled to the safety of the camp, hissing angrily the whole time.

* * *

"No," Mireille replied, the look of her flashing eyes and puffed up feathers akin to that of a cornered animal, "No, no. I'll manage." She buried her bright orange beak in her breast feathers. Her mumbling became even more incoherent.

"Friends...oh, this is bad. What do you know about him? What do you know about me?" She fluttered her wings erratically, feeling a headache coming on. It never occurred to her that she was talking to a child, a cub no older than Haze. In her right mind, she would have never said such things, but Mireille hadn't been in her right mind for a very long time.

"In second...second thought," she rambled on, "No, I'll go on my own. Don't touch my son. Do you hear me? I don't want you near Haze ever again! We're fine on our own, perfectly fine. I don't need you and neither will he ever!" Her spread her wings, preparing to take off again. "Friends! Imagine that, Haze, deary? Why on earth would you need any friend besides me?" She laughed harshly.

* * *

"Wait!" called Calico softly. "Will you leave me here? Can... c-can you take me with you?" Despite the fact that the hen did not seem entirely sane and that she had nearly frightened the young cub out of her own feathers, she was looking for her cub, which meant she was or had been a mother, and she was a cub, so... could she be her mother? "Please?"

* * *

Mireille froze. "You...you want me to take you...with me? To where? Home?" She repeated hollowly, struggling to understand even those few simple words. "Imagine that, Haze," she said softly to herself. She didn't care how weird it seemed; it helped her reason with the situation. "Home with us. Ha ha! I wish...can we help her? Would you help her?"

She turned around slowly and folded her wings back into a resting position. "I would, deary," she told Calico, her unblinking gaze drifting aimlessly, "but Haze...yes, I have to focus. Focus, focus, focus. Is that what I said?" She sighed. "No, dear, I'm fine. I'm fine. I just talk too much! Is that it? Is that what's wrong?!"

She stared at the cub before her, desperately trying to fix her own behavior. Was the poor thing scared? Mireille didn't want to scare it! Or was Calico the monster? _Who am I suppose to be running from?_ She wanted to help, but she had things to do. She needed to continue her search.

* * *

Calico shuffled her wings and touched her talons together nervously. "Uuh... Maybe..." She gulped. "Maybe... I could... help... you...?" She smiled strangely, a strained, lopsided smile. Imagining herself in a mirror, she shuddered and gave a begging look. "I... I don't have anywhere to go..."


	97. Soundtrack

APPENDIX I  
CHICKS OF DESTINY SOUNDTRACK

* * *

Music is only listed here for the enjoyment of the readers. All rights belong to the respective artists!

Featured Songs:  
1\. **"Mado Kara Mieru"** Christopher Tin (featured in Chapter 15)  
2\. **"A Mother's Lullaby"** Orla Fallon (featured in Chapter 30)  
3\. **"Prelude in G Major" (Lullaby for Shiny)** Thomas Baltzar (featured in Chapter 30 as the tune of Larimar's improvised lullaby)  
4\. **"Safe and Sound"** Taylor Swift  & The Civil Wars (featured in Chapter 75)

Bonus Tracks: **  
**1. **"Wanderer's Lullaby"** Adriana Figueroa  
2\. **"Lullaby for a Stormy Night"** Vienna Teng  
3\. **"Don't Go Away** " Anne Hathaway & Flavia Maia


	98. Glossary

APPENDIX II  
A BRIEF GLOSSARY OF GRIFFIN TERMS

* * *

Compiled for any readers who are not familiar with OotG slang.

* * *

 **Griffin:** a mythical creature, half lion and half eagle

 **Keythong:** male griffin

 **Hen** : female griffin

 **Chick:** first stage of griffin development

 **Cub:** second stage of griffin development

 **Nest Gem:** magic gemstones used by female griffins

 **Oilspill:** shiny type of feather coloration, comes in multiple shades

 **Sunny:** griffin pattern that makes the head, tail, and wingtips shiny

 **Snowflake/Snowy:** griffin pattern with white, snow-like markings

* * *

For more help with definitions, see the "Chicks of Destiny Archive" profile for links to additional resources.


	99. Afterword

**Afterword**

10 writers. 2 books. 7 parts. 84 chapters.

Thank you for reading our hard work! It was truly an honor to be involved in this project. I still owe unending gratitude to all of my fellow Chicks of Destiny authors.

Please check out our profile or website for more Chicks of Destiny content.


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